Honoring and continuing the legacy of the craft.

(Baonghean) - As an annual event, journalists in President Ho Chi Minh's homeland always feel an indescribable sense of emotion and pride when they gather here on June 18, 2015, to join the celebration of the 90th anniversary of the Vietnamese Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925 - 2015) and the awarding of the Nghe An Journalism Prize 2014 organized by the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee...; to once again receive the honor of the Party Committee, government, and people of the province and to rekindle their sense of responsibility and dedication to the profession, accompanying the progress of the homeland and the country...

Upholding traditions and the passion for the craft.

Yes, the event was especially joyful, as it marked the 90th anniversary of the birth of the revolutionary press in our country. Journalists from our province gathered here in the Red City, meeting each other with warmth and joy, exchanging firm handshakes and offering their best wishes. The smiles and sparkling joy on each face today are the result of countless professional struggles and a burning desire to contribute to the building and development of the country and our province.

The authors and groups of authors who won first prize at the Nghe An Journalism Awards 2014. Photo: Tran Hai

Journalists in President Ho Chi Minh's homeland are truly proud that Nghe An has been, and continues to be, one of the four largest press centers in the country, with the presence of 49 central and local press agencies, 20 district-level radio and television stations, and nearly 300 journalists… The contributions of the press to all aspects of life and to the overall development are always recognized and honored, as stated by Comrade Dinh Thi Le Thanh, Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, on behalf of the Party Committee, government, and people of the province, expressing empathy, sharing, and heartfelt sentiments with the journalists present at the ceremony: Through tireless efforts, sparing no effort, intellect, sweat, or even tears, and at times even facing threats to their lives, journalists in Nghe An have firmly grasped the guidelines, laws, and policies, closely followed practical realities, and taken the lead in propaganda work, actively contributing to helping Nghe An escape poverty and rise in integration and development. The press is truly a powerful extension of the Party and State at all levels, and it consistently affirms its role and nhiệm vụ as the voice of the Party, the government, and the people...

The Nghe An Journalism Awards Ceremony, honoring the winning authors and their works in 2014, was a highly anticipated highlight of the program. As journalists jokingly say, these are "moments of relief, comfort, and less pressure in the profession." However, to achieve this moment of honor, journalists had to work tirelessly, closely monitoring all the "hot spots," difficult and challenging areas, natural disasters, floods, and epidemics, facing countless unpredictable dangers.

This year's Nghe An Journalism Award was presented to 30 works and authors. All 30 works closely followed political life and real-life situations, reflecting a diverse range of topics such as Party building, exemplary cases of "Learning and following the moral example of Ho Chi Minh," new factors like good people and good deeds, issues related to agriculture, rural areas, and farmers… and the struggle against the "dark sides" and negative aspects of life. As assessed by the award organizers, all were reflected truthfully and objectively, from a sharp perspective, demonstrating the constructive and strong fighting spirit of journalism, thereby effectively promoting the guiding and critical aspects of journalism.

Provincial leaders presented Certificates of Merit from the Central Committee of the Vietnam Journalists Association to six individuals for their outstanding achievements in 2014.

Among the award-winning authors are familiar faces from previous seasons, such as journalists Khanh Ly and Duc Chuyen (Nghe An Newspaper) and Khanh Ly and Truong Ca (Nghe An Radio and Television Station)... Journalist Truong Ca shared: "Journalism is difficult, but winning awards is even more challenging. When I started, I didn't aim to win awards; I did it with all my heart, with love for the profession and dedication to my work. I always want to reflect on the good things in life and people, not to emphasize the negative. But because in life and in our society, not everything is good, and sometimes we have to talk about the negative things, the bad things, to make life better; journalists have a responsibility to reflect what is not good, what is not pleasant… The award is an encouragement for me to strive harder, improve my skills in all aspects, and better serve the country, the province, and the public."

Journalist Van Anh from Nghe An Radio and Television Station, author of the work "Gasoline and Oil Distressing," which won first prize at the Provincial Journalism Awards and third prize at the National Journalism Awards in 2014, said: "We decided to investigate and expose the methods of gasoline and oil theft. Making this report took us two months, including reconnaissance, surveillance, and filming. Many times, we were threatened by the ringleaders: 'Do you want your body to remain normal?' and even chased after to assault us. The report, once broadcast, had a positive impact on public opinion. Several drivers and ringleaders were arrested and prosecuted according to the law. More than anyone else, we journalists feel happy to have contributed to building a better society."

When young people are given the opportunity to show passion and responsibility

This year's competition saw the emergence of many young, yet highly dedicated, journalists such as Hoa Mơ, Nguyễn Hưng, Khánh Ly, Như Phong (Nghe An Provincial Radio and Television Station); Xuân Thống (Nghe An Police Newspaper)... And the top prize winners this time included female authors such as Nguyễn Thanh Nga (Special Feature on Land Clearance for National Highway 1A - First Prize) and Lê Thục Anh (Special Feature: From Green Grass to a Clean Glass of Milk - Second Prize; 5 Years Looking Back at the Implementation of Resolution 30a - Third Prize), who early on affirmed their passion, maturity in the profession, and seriousness in their work; and also showed a noteworthy generational continuity, with one being the daughter of the former Editor-in-Chief and the other the daughter of the current Editor-in-Chief of Nghe An Newspaper. For them, this achievement is a positive, well-deserved, and promising start to their aspirations and determination to dedicate themselves to journalism. Reporter Le Thuc Anh, currently working in the Current Affairs - International Department of Nghe An Newspaper, shared: “What is most meaningful to me about working in journalism is not only doing a job I love and that suits my abilities. The newspaper's editorial office and colleagues have been very familiar to me since I was a child, accompanying my mother to the office after school. Even now, many of the senior staff at various stations and newspapers recognize me and recall memories of when I was the subject of their articles and reports. Now we meet again, but as colleagues in the profession. That is what I am proud of, and it motivates me to constantly strive, train, and improve myself further, to be worthy of the love I receive. I think that nurturing enthusiasm and encouraging willpower with love is the most heartfelt and humane call that the homeland can offer to its children far away in general and young people in particular. That is also how we build a better future.” "The career path stretches from one generation to the next, extending far into the future."

Faced with pressing issues of life, young journalists in particular, and journalists in Nghe An in general, with their intellect, enthusiasm, and dedication to the profession, have diligently investigated, uncovered the truth, and offered convincing assessments and solutions; helping viewers and readers gain a comprehensive view of the modern social landscape… Young journalists have been actively working, closely following life to strive to give voice to the masses. They have been working with the genuine feelings of a reporter, with the concerns of the entire society. Journalists in Nghe An, the homeland of President Ho Chi Minh, are even more proud that the rich tradition of revolutionary journalism of the previous generation has been continued.

Sharing his thoughts with colleagues, veteran journalist Viet Long offered his experience: Journalists are like scouts of life, constantly reflecting on the realities of people's lives; always upholding honesty, a pure heart, and responsibility towards the profession. They must be diligent and hardworking, immersing themselves in life, experiencing it firsthand before writing, deeply penetrating social life to "sift through the sand to find gold"... They must ponder over each page they write, ponder over life itself; ponder to explore, create, and develop with the goal of writing well, accurately, and engagingly for the audience. This demands that journalists possess both heart and vision. To overcome the hardships, difficulties, and often dangers of the profession, journalists must have faith, courage, and use their pens to truthfully reflect the multifaceted aspects of life with a high constructive spirit. It's about "combating" in order to build. "Building well to 'combat'" – this is the guiding principle for journalists in President Ho Chi Minh's homeland to continue to cultivate their love for the profession, sharp penmanship, clear minds, and passion for their work, in order to produce more effective journalistic works that serve the cause of national and homeland renewal more efficiently.

Reporters' Team