Preserving and promoting the value of the National Historical Monument: Huynh Thuc Khang School of Journalism.
Comrade Le Quoc Minh, Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, and President of the Vietnam Journalists Association, emphasized: “The establishment of the Huynh Thuc Khang School of Journalism is a milestone in the revolutionary journalism of Vietnam; the school's renovation and restoration is an important cultural and historical work to honor the great journalistic legacy that President Ho Chi Minh and the revolutionary journalists of the past have left for generations of journalists today and tomorrow.”
On August 9th, the Vietnam Journalists Association and the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, and People's Committee of Thai Nguyen province held a ceremony to inaugurate and hand over the renovated and restored national historical site of the Huynh Thuc Khang Journalism School in Tan Thai commune, Dai Tu district (Thai Nguyen).
Attending the ceremony were Central Committee members: Nguyen Thi Thanh, Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly; Le Quoc Minh, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, and President of the Vietnam Journalists Association; and Trinh Viet Hung, Alternate Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, and Chairman of the People's Committee of Thai Nguyen Province.
Also attending were Comrade Phan Xuan Thuy, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department; Nguyen Thanh Lam, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications; leaders of the Vietnam Journalists Association; veteran journalists; representatives from many ministries, departments, and agencies; Thai Nguyen province; leaders of press agencies; Journalists Associations of provinces, cities, and Dai Tu district; and a large number of journalists from across the country.
This meaningful activity celebrates the 79th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2nd, the 79th anniversary of the Liberation Day of Thai Nguyen Province (August 20, 1945 - August 20, 2024), the 75th anniversary of the Huynh Thuc Khang School of Journalism (1949-2024), and marks the beginning of the journey towards the 100th anniversary of the Vietnamese Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925 - June 21, 2025).
Comrade Le Quoc Minh, Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, and President of the Vietnam Journalists Association, delivered a speech at the ceremony.
A milestone in revolutionary journalism.
In 1949, as the resistance war against the French entered a fierce phase, requiring intensified press propaganda to carry out revolutionary tasks during the preparation and successful phase of the general counter-offensive, President Ho Chi Minh directed, founded, named, and instructed the General Headquarters of the Viet Minh and the Resistance Press Group to establish the Huynh Thuc Khang School of Journalism.
On April 4, 1949, amidst the mountains and forests of Viet Bac, the Huynh Thuc Khang School of Journalism was established and held its first course. The students were over 40 political, military, and journalistic cadres from across the country. The School's Board of Directors consisted of five people: Mr. Do Duc Duc, Deputy Secretary of the Viet Minh General Headquarters, served as Director; and Mr. Xuan Thuy served as Deputy Director.
Comrade Nguyen Thi Thanh, Member of the Central Committee of the Party and Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly, affirmed the significance of preserving and restoring historical relics.
Over 30 lecturers participated in teaching, all of whom were experienced political leaders with rich theoretical and practical knowledge, as well as renowned cultural and artistic activists and revolutionary intellectuals such as: Truong Chinh, Vo Nguyen Giap, Hoang Quoc Viet, Le Quang Dao, To Huu, Nguyen Thanh Le, Quang Dam, Nguyen Dinh Thi, Nguyen Huy Tuong, Xuan Dieu...
General Secretary Trường Chinh personally taught at the school, leaving his signature in the course's guestbook: "This first course at Huỳnh Thúc Kháng School is a good experiment. I believe that after learning from this course, the Viet Minh General Headquarters will be more successful in training cadres to fight the enemy with their pens and guide national public opinion."
Due to the circumstances of the resistance war, the Huynh Thuc Khang School of Journalism could only organize a short course lasting 3 months, from April 4, 1949 to July 6, 1949. However, it provided students with a comprehensive program encompassing theory, expertise, and practice. After graduation, many students became key writers for various media outlets or worked in the national cultural and artistic fields. In 2019, the site of the Huynh Thuc Khang School of Journalism was classified as a National Historical Monument.
Comrade Nguyen Thi Thanh, Member of the Central Committee of the Party and Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly, presents a commemorative gift to the Vietnam Journalists Association.
Speaking at the inauguration and handover ceremony of the renovated and restored national historical site of the Huynh Thuc Khang School of Journalism, Comrade Le Quoc Minh, Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, and President of the Vietnam Journalists Association, emphasized that the establishment of the Huynh Thuc Khang School of Journalism was a milestone in the revolutionary journalism of Vietnam.
The school's restoration and renovation is an important cultural and historical project aimed at honoring the immense journalistic legacy that President Ho Chi Minh and the revolutionary journalists of the past left for generations of journalists today and in the future.
President Ho Chi Minh, the brilliant leader of our nation and the first teacher of revolutionary Vietnamese journalism, personally chose to establish the school and paid special attention to the course. He twice dedicated time to writing letters to encourage the teaching and learning spirit of the teachers and students at the school at that time. He instructed: "This is the first journalism class. I hope you all will compete with each other in learning and practicing to be worthy pioneers on the journalistic front. Journalism must also implement the slogan: 'All for victory!'"
Comrade Le Quoc Minh affirmed that, honoring and commemorating the contributions of President Ho Chi Minh and a generation of pioneering resistance journalists who dedicated their lives to the goal of "All for victory," contributing to the glorious tradition and vitality of revolutionary journalism in our country; and with the desire to continue preserving and promoting the historical value and significance of the site, the Vietnam Journalists Association directed the Vietnam Journalism Museum to implement the restoration and renovation project of the Huynh Thuc Khang School of Journalism site using socialized capital. The restoration and renovation was completed in nearly 7 months to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the school's founding and to look forward to the 100th anniversary of Vietnamese Revolutionary Journalism Day.
Promoting the value of historical relics.
To ensure the project is as effective as possible, Comrade Le Quoc Minh suggested that the Vietnam Press Museum, in coordination with relevant units, continue to research and refine the plan and project for managing, protecting, and promoting the value of the relics, linking them with historical and cultural landmarks of the former Viet Bac War Zone, forming a meaningful tourism route to commemorate the merits of our ancestors, while also experiencing local culture and discovering the beauty of the "Capital of the Thousand Winds" for visitors in the present day.
The leaders visited the exhibits at the historical site.
At the same time, we will intensify propaganda efforts targeting local journalists' associations, affiliated associations, and journalist chapters nationwide, with the hope that the press will recognize the importance of this historical site, considering it a significant landmark for journalists, especially young journalists, to learn about the glorious history of journalism, hear stories about their predecessors, and build for the future of the country's journalism.
The national historical site of the Huynh Thuc Khang School of Journalism has been restored and renovated on an area of 859m2, including the following items: A miniature exhibition house - a museum about the Huynh Thuc Khang School of Journalism, in the form of an 80m2 single-story house built on a high hill, reconstructed according to documented records and some surviving images. Originally a bamboo and thatch house, it is now a wooden frame house with a fire-resistant artificial thatched roof.
Comrade Trinh Viet Hung, Alternate Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, and Chairman of the People's Committee of Thai Nguyen Province, presented Certificates of Commendation to the Vietnam National Petroleum Group and the Vietnam Press Museum.
The stilt house – a miniature museum showcasing the press of the Viet Bac War Zone from 1946-1954, covering 80m2, is a reconstruction of the stilt house of the Viet Minh General Headquarters, where the resistance press activities were directly directed and where the Vietnam Journalists Association was founded in 1950; a nearly 3m high and 8m wide bas-relief portrait of 48 members of the Board of Directors, lecturers, and students of the School; an auditorium located in the hillside for conferences, seminars, and other activities, with a capacity of over 150 people; and a 200m2 "mini-square" for organizing events.
From the founding of the Huynh Thuc Khang School of Journalism, the country now has more than 10 training institutions for journalists across all four media types: print, radio, television, and online, with qualifications ranging from bachelor's to doctoral degrees. In 1949, the country had about ten newspapers with approximately 300 journalists; by the end of 2023, the country had six major multimedia communication agencies, 127 newspapers, 671 magazines, 72 radio and television stations, and over 40,000 journalists.
Lecturers and students of the Huynh Thuc Khang School of Journalism.
Speaking at the ceremony, Comrade Nguyen Thi Thanh, Member of the Central Committee of the Party and Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly, praised the great contributions of President Ho Chi Minh, the mentor of Vietnamese revolutionary journalism, and recalled the achievements of the Huynh Thuc Khang School of Journalism, which contributed to shaping the qualities, character, and capabilities of many renowned journalists, making significant contributions to the resistance war and national reunification, becoming valuable building blocks for the solid foundation of Vietnamese revolutionary journalism.
The Vice Chairman of the National Assembly highly appreciated the cooperation between the Vietnam Journalists Association and Thai Nguyen province in restoring and preserving the Huynh Thuc Khang Journalism School National Monument. The inauguration of the project profoundly reflects the sense of responsibility, pride, and gratitude for the contributions of previous generations who dedicated themselves to the revolutionary cause of the Party, to the aspiration for independence and freedom of the nation, and to the happiness of the people.
At the same time, it honors the glorious tradition, noble mission, and immense contributions of Vietnamese revolutionary journalism in the struggle for national independence, national reunification, building and defending the Fatherland, and implementing the reform and international integration process.
This is also an opportunity to review the glorious revolutionary traditions of the nation, the glorious history of Vietnamese revolutionary journalism, to gain a deeper understanding and contribute more responsibly in promoting the healthy development of journalism and media, promptly meeting the requirements of the new era with many new difficulties and challenges.
Affirming the importance of the Huynh Thuc Khang School of Journalism historical site, Comrade Nguyen Thi Thanh suggested that after receiving the handover, the functional agencies of Thai Nguyen province should closely and regularly coordinate with the Vietnam Journalists Association to implement useful activities, effectively exploit and utilize the functions of the renovated and restored items to continue preserving, conserving, and promoting the sustainable value of the historical site with its sacred significance, a place connecting the history, present, and future of Vietnamese revolutionary journalism, meeting the needs of people for research, learning, visiting, and "back to the roots" tourism.
On this occasion, the People's Committee of Thai Nguyen province awarded Certificates of Merit to the Vietnam National Petroleum Group and the Vietnam Press Museum; the Vietnam Journalists Association awarded Certificates of Merit to collectives and individuals who have made achievements and contributions to the restoration, preservation, and promotion of the Huynh Thuc Khang School of Journalism.
