We look forward to collaborating with Nghe An Newspaper.

Vo Thu Huong: Trust, love, and appreciation

As a long-time contributor to Nghe An Newspaper, writer Vo Thu Huong – a native of Nghe An province, currently living and working in Ho Chi Minh City – shares her personal reflections on her years of collaboration with the newspaper.Vo Thu HuongRecalling, she said: “Among my commemorative photos, there was one precious picture. It showed a little girl with two braids, standing opposite the poet Minh Hue – the author of the poem “Tonight Uncle Ho Doesn’t Sleep,” which I had just learned from my textbook. In her hands, she held a bouquet of flowers and a certificate of merit from the Nghe An Newspaper. That year, I was in 8th grade and was recognized as an outstanding contributor to the newspaper. It was the first time I had met a poet from my school textbook, and I was filled with excitement. It was also a memorable experience from my early days of collaborating with the newspaper.”

Writer Vo Thu Huong and some of her works published in Nghe An Newspaper. Photo: PV

Quang Trung Secondary School (Vinh City), where I used to study, is located a short distance away.editorial officeThe old Nghe An Newspaper building was just a few dozen steps away. Initially, I would wander around the office, reading the newspapers posted in the lobby. Later, I started making acquaintances and submitting articles. The initial success rate was... 50 articles submitted, only 1 published. This gradually decreased as I got to know and learn from experienced writers, receiving encouragement and guidance through each page I wrote. I received much love and learned many things, both on and off the page.

I have maintained contact and collaborated with the newspaper ever since. This morning, as I sat down to write these little thoughts, I happened to read on Facebook a post from an older friend who recalled the heartfelt verses of the poet Bui Giang:When asked, "Where are you from?", he replied, "I have lived in my hometown for a very long time."People like me truly belong home, no matter where we are or what we do, our thoughts of home are always there. Expressing those feelings in books and newspapers is a joy. Therefore, for me, writing articles for the Nghe An newspaper, so that my relatives, friends, and fellow countrymen back home can read them, is also a source of happiness.

It also comes from the dedication of our editors. There's the deep empathy I feel for Ms. Pham Thuy Vinh, with whom I can share many joys and sorrows both on the page and in life. And the warm encouragement from Mr. Dao Tuan whenever he assigns articles to contributors. A man I've never met in person, but I can still picture with a kind, gentle smile and bright eyes…

Thanks to the dedicated and professional staff and editors who have accompanied me throughout my journey, I have been able to transform from a young girl trying her hand at poetry and prose into a professional journalist and writer. This is a great source of encouragement for writers like me who are far from home but still cherish their homeland. Thank you, Nghe An Newspaper, for being so valued.

Reporter Nhat Thanh: Living my passion for photography.

Mr. Vo Nhat Thanh participated in the Art Photography Festival in Hue City. Photo: PV

Ho Nhat Thanh, 55 years old, is known as a photo contributor for Nghe An Newspaper. He currently works at the Culture, Sports & Communication Center of Quynh Luu District. Taking on this job allowed him to rekindle his passion for photography, which he had since his student days, and it was from this point that he began collaborating with Nghe An Newspaper.
Contributor Nhat Thanh shared that he started collaborating with the newspaper around the 1990s. However, the collaboration wasn't frequent, partly due to his busy work schedule and partly because submitting his work wasn't as convenient as "a click of a mouse." When Nghe An Newspaper started as a daily newspaper, and later as an online newspaper, he had more opportunities to collaborate with the newspaper and truly live out his passion for photography.

With his expertise in landscape photography, festivals, and regional customs, the contributions of contributor Nhat Thanh are currently dominating the "Visiting Nghe An" column – a column that, according to most readers, is a "specialty" of Nghe An Newspaper. Almost all of his photos are highly appreciated by the editorial board for their ideas, content, and technical and artistic merit. Contributor Nhat Thanh says, "Although I'm from Nghe An and travel a lot, when I read the articles and see the photo series in the 'Visiting Nghe An' column, I still feel that I know too little about my hometown; it always seems strange and interesting. That's why I want to use each photo series to introduce people to the scenery and customs of my homeland, so that people can understand and love Nghe An more."

People in Quynh Thuan commune produce salt. Photo: Archival material - Nhat Thanh

Driven by passion and concern, and understanding the somewhat "perfectionist" requirements of the editorial board, each of CTV Nhat Thanh's works is the result of a long creative process before reaching readers. For example, the photo series "Where Salt Farmers Need Sunshine" was taken over two summers, capturing early mornings and late afternoons with the salt farmers. This series later won third prize in the "Golden Moment" competition in 2019 organized by Nghe An Newspaper. Similarly, to capture the image "Helping Children Go to School," the author had to travel to the Nhon Mai Border Guard Post (Tuong Duong) and spend nearly a week, working tirelessly every night with the teachers in military uniforms, to get the perfect shot. This photo won second prize in the Nghe An Newspaper's "Golden Moment" competition in 2020.

According to contributor Nhat Thanh, the "Golden Moment" competition organized annually by Nghe An Newspaper truly creates a platform and motivates photography enthusiasts. Each time he wins an award, he feels the need to reflect and explore further to produce higher-quality photos. He also noted that the photography section of Nghe An Newspaper is increasingly receiving more attention and improving in quality. However, as a contributor, besides taking photos for pleasure, he hopes for guidance from the editorial office to ensure his works adhere to the required themes.

Bui Hai Thuong: Nghe An Newspaper helped me mature.

Reporter Bui Hai Thuong reporting from Ky Son. Photo: PV

Contributor Hai Thuong often used the pen names Anh Bach and Hai Thuong when submitting articles to Nghe An newspaper. He was a soldier.Border GuardPassionate about journalism, and having spent many years working in propaganda for the Border Guard Force, correspondent Bui Hai Thuong's footsteps have left their mark across the border regions. Besides his duties, he also sends Nghe An Newspaper up-to-date information about the border guard force's activities in maintaining security and order, and the unique activities of the local area.

He confided that in the early days of his career in journalism, he faced many difficulties and uncertainties. The path to becoming a contributor was not easy. Where to start, what topics to explore, how to express oneself to create compelling and engaging articles...? There were so many problems to solve! “My previous articles were often written based on inspiration and a simple ‘write whatever comes to mind’ approach. Fortunately, with each article I submitted, I received attention and feedback from the reporters and editors at Nghe An Newspaper. Thanks to their dedicated guidance, my articles were published in Nghe An Newspaper, creating enthusiasm and confidence for me to continue contributing. This helped me gradually improve myself by learning from experience, reading more, and listening to feedback from colleagues on each article... As a result, I have become more mature, and my journalistic thinking and skills have improved.”

Border guards on duty to prevent and control Covid-19 along the border. (Photo: Thanh Cuong)

He stated that 2020 was a turbulent year, with natural disasters and epidemics significantly impacting all aspects of life. However, thanks to the efforts of the officers and soldiers of the Provincial Border Guard and the assistance of Nghe An Newspaper, the activities and work of the officers and soldiers of the Provincial Border Guard have been disseminated to readers both domestically and internationally, especially the work of preventing and controlling the Covid-19 epidemic, helping people overcome the consequences of natural disasters, and firmly protecting border security and sovereignty. This has encouraged and motivated the officers and soldiers of the Border Guard to excellently fulfill their assigned tasks. The Nghe An Border Guard was awarded a flag for outstanding performance by the Ministry of National Defense.

Reporter Dinh Tuan: Cultural officials are "passionate" about journalism.

Reporter Dinh Tuan working at the location. Photo: PV

Vo Dinh Tuan has been a regular contributor to Nghe An Newspaper for over five years. He works at the Culture, Sports and Communications Center of Tuong Duong District. Although he is a cultural officer, his love of reading and newspapers, along with his passion for experiences and photography, led him to become closely associated with Nghe An Newspaper. From initially contributing only photos with captions about cultural and artistic activities of the local people, he now not only updates on current events in the area and photo series showcasing various angles, but also writes articles on the economy, culture, society, and daily life of the residents in the district.

To balance his work as a cultural officer with his passion for journalism, Dinh Tuan said that on weekends or whenever he goes on field trips, he always brings along his camera as his "companion." He doesn't hesitate to take photos, research, and take notes... According to Dinh Tuan, "Although I'm not a professional journalist, having been involved for over 5 years, I've come to understand and appreciate the work of journalism. It's not simply about holding a pen and a camera; it's a profession of creativity and critical thinking, requiring genuine passion. This work has also given me many opportunities to gain practical experience, meet people, and acquire a great deal of knowledge to serve my professional work."

National Unity Day celebration in Hat village, Yen Tinh commune. Photo courtesy of Dinh Tuan.

According to Dinh Tuan, in recent years, Nghe An Newspaper has invested in and refined both content and form across all its publications, from the daily newspaper, Nghe An Weekend, the Ethnic Minorities - Mountainous Regions special section, and the online version, which now even has a YouTube channel. Significantly, in this competitive journalistic era, Nghe An Newspaper has maintained its core principles and objectives. Articles and special sections in the newspaper are directional, not sensationalist or attention-grabbing. Because of this, the requirements for its contributors are also more stringent, from research to the presentation of news and articles.

"However, thanks to the somewhat 'strict' feedback and adjustments from the newspaper's editors, my news articles have become more insightful."

Reporter Dinh Tuan also hopes that the newspaper will publish more reports on activities at the grassroots level, specifically at the commune level. In reality, even short news items serve as encouragement and motivation for officials and the people to be more active in their work, labor, and production.