Opening Ceremony of the 2026 National Press Conference

The event, chaired by the Vietnam Journalists Association in coordination with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the city of Hai Phong, under the direction of the Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Committee, is part of a series of practical activities to commemorate the 101st anniversary of Vietnam's Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925 - June 21, 2026).

Attending the opening ceremony were Comrade Trinh Van Quyet, Member of the Political Bureau, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party, Head of the Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department; and other members of the Central Committee of the Party: Le Quoc Minh, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department, President of the Vietnam Journalists Association; Tran Thanh Lam, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department; Duong Trung Y, Editor-in-Chief of the Communist Magazine; and Le Ngoc Chau, Secretary of the Hai Phong City Party Committee.

Also attending were representatives from central ministries and agencies; veteran journalists; leaders of press agencies, members of the Journalists' Association at all levels; international press delegations, and a large number of readers and viewers...

VIETNAMESE JOURNALISM - LOYAL, CREATIVE, AND RESPONSIBLE IN THE NEW ERA

In his opening remarks, Comrade Le Quoc Minh, Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department, and President of the Vietnam Journalists Association, stated that the 2026 National Press Conference is taking place in the context of the entire Party, people, and army striving to successfully implement the Resolution of the 14th National Congress of the Party.

For the press, this is a pivotal period as we both inherit a century of glorious tradition of Vietnamese revolutionary journalism and must proactively break through to lead the country into a new era. Therefore, this year's Press Conference has chosen a theme with profound and comprehensive guidance: "Vietnamese Journalism - Loyalty, Creativity, and Responsibility in the New Era."

"These three keywords affirm the core mission of revolutionary journalists: Always being absolutely loyal to the ideals of the Party and the interests of the people; constantly innovating and applying modern technology; and at the same time enhancing social responsibility and professional ethics in the construction of a just, democratic, and civilized society," Comrade Le Quoc Minh emphasized.

The Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists Association stated that the 2026 National Press Conference truly presents a comprehensive and vibrant picture of the strong development of the country's press, with the participation of 87 exhibition booths from affiliated Journalists Associations, provincial and city Journalists Associations, and journalism training and research institutions nationwide.

A highlight of the Press Festival space is the central exhibition area – designed as a journey connecting tradition and the future. Through a system of images, documents, artifacts, and the application of modern projection technology, the public will have the opportunity to look back at the development of revolutionary journalism, while also gaining a clearer understanding of the demands placed on journalism in the new context. Alongside this is the unique exhibition space of the host unit with the message "Hai Phong – Convergence and Radiance," affirming the strong link between journalism and the socio-economic development of the locality.

Following the success of previous years, within the framework of the 2026 Press Conference, the National Press Forum will continue to be organized, promising to provide a vibrant space for professional exchange with 11 in-depth discussion sessions.

Here, managers, experts, and journalists will come together to offer suggestions and frankly discuss pressing issues in modern journalism, such as: restructuring the operations of media organizations; promoting the role of journalism in protecting the Party's ideological foundation; journalism accompanying businesses in shaping the future; and especially the question of "AI - How to apply it, what to use, and how to control it in Vietnamese media organizations"...

Another highlight is the rich series of activities, from the expanded Journalists' Singing Contest with the participation of domestic journalists and international journalists from countries such as Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia; the incense offering ceremony at historical sites in Hai Phong; to the system of awards honoring outstanding exhibition booths, events, and impressive journalistic products, promising to bring about an innovative, creative, attractive, and practically effective Press Festival.

"The 2026 National Press Conference is not only a place to honor the achievements of the country's press, but more importantly, it is an open forum for exchange, a bridge connecting journalists closely with the public - readers and viewers from all over the country, the source of encouragement and the core service of revolutionary journalism," affirmed Le Quoc Minh, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper and President of the Vietnam Journalists Association.

From the perspective of the host locality, Comrade Le Ngoc Chau, Member of the Central Committee of the Party and Secretary of the Hai Phong City Party Committee, stated that the achievements of Hai Phong city over the past period have always been accompanied and supported by press and media agencies nationwide.

To realize the goal of becoming a leading modern industrial port city in the region, the city hopes to continue receiving the support, cooperation, and contributions of the press and journalists to help strengthen confidence, create consensus, and encourage the aspirations for development and the spirit of dedication of the Party Committee, government, military, and people of the city.

"We expect that each article, each documentary film, and each news report will more strongly reflect the open investment environment; the outstanding policy mechanisms; the key projects; the cultural and historical values; as well as promote the image of Hai Phong's beautiful, friendly, and distinctive land and people," Comrade Le Ngoc Chau expressed.

EACH PRESS AGENCY MUST BE A STRONG FORTRESS PROTECTING THE PARTY'S IDEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Press Festival, Comrade Trinh Van Quyet, Member of the Political Bureau, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party, and Head of the Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department, stated that President Ho Chi Minh – the mentor of Vietnam's revolutionary press – taught: "The task of the press is to serve the people and the revolution." Embracing this ideology, General Secretary and President To Lam requested that the press constantly innovate to develop in line with the times, truly becoming a professional, humane, and modern press that serves the Fatherland and the People. This is both an honor and a commitment of responsibility that the Party, the State, and the People entrust to journalists.

According to Comrade Trinh Van Quyet, in recent times, the country's press has undergone a strong transformation: decisive restructuring and streamlining of organizational structures; many media agencies, after mergers, have quickly stabilized, accelerated digital transformation, and innovated their operating models towards a smarter and more efficient direction. A more professional, sophisticated, and modern image of the press is gradually taking shape.

The comrade assessed that the topics of the discussion sessions within the framework of the Press Conference directly addressed the hottest issues in journalism today: innovating newsroom models, policy communication, protecting the Party's ideological foundation, applying artificial intelligence and digital transformation - a testament to the courage and aspirations of the revolutionary journalists.

In order for revolutionary journalism to truly become a pioneering force and a driving force for social development, Comrade Trinh Van Quyet proposed that journalists nationwide closely adhere to reality and focus on effectively carrying out several key tasks.

Firstly, upholding Party principles and the people's spirit, and remaining absolutely loyal to the Fatherland and the revolutionary cause is the guiding principle and the foremost quality of revolutionary journalism. "Each media outlet, after streamlining, must be a solid fortress protecting the Party's ideological foundation, sharply combating and refuting erroneous and hostile viewpoints and harmful information. The press must take the lead in bringing the Resolution of the 14th National Congress and the Central Committee's strategic resolutions into life, transforming the Party's will into the actions of the entire people," emphasized the Head of the Central Committee's Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department.

Furthermore, journalists must constantly innovate, create, break through, and master technology. They must resolutely implement digital transformation in the spirit of Resolution 57, proactively apply artificial intelligence and modern technology, build a converged, multi-platform newsroom, and master the flow of information in cyberspace.

"Mastering technology is not just about keeping up, but about leading, so that revolutionary journalism can maintain its leading role in shaping public opinion right on the digital platform. Artificial intelligence can write words, but it cannot replace the political acumen, conscience, and heart of revolutionary journalists," Comrade Trinh Van Quyet noted.

The comrade also suggested that the press must effectively fulfill its role as a driving force for development and a sharp weapon in ideological and mass mobilization work. The press should not only reflect the flow of life, but also contribute to guiding that flow in the right direction. Each journalistic work must propagate, encourage, inspire, educate, and awaken the aspiration for development, creating social consensus so that the people understand, trust, and follow the Party; inspire the goal of double-digit growth, encourage the spirit of daring to think, daring to act, daring to innovate, and realize the aspiration for a strong, prosperous, and happy nation.

In particular, journalists must steadfastly adhere to the principle that "content is the core, technology is the tool," upholding professional ethics and humanistic values. According to Comrade Trinh Van Quyet, no matter how modern the technology, it is only a means; quality content, guidance, humanistic values, and the ethics of journalists are what create the prestige and vitality of a newspaper.

"Every journalist must uphold the motto 'sharp pen, pure heart, bright mind'; every newspaper must be a reliable forum for the people, resolutely fighting corruption, waste, and negativity; absolutely not allowing commercialization to obscure the noble mission of revolutionary journalism," the comrade suggested.

Another task mentioned by the Head of the Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department is that media agencies need to innovate their governance models, develop sustainable media economics, and simultaneously build a team of elite, capable, and professional journalists. After restructuring and streamlining, the managing agencies and newsrooms must proactively innovate governance, increase autonomy, solve the economic challenges of journalism in the digital age, ensure resources for reinvestment, and take care of the livelihoods of the staff so that each journalist can confidently dedicate themselves to creating high-value works.

Comrade Trinh Van Quyet expressed his confidence that the team of journalists nationwide will continue to uphold the pioneering banner on the ideological and cultural front, working together with the entire Party, people, and army to successfully implement the Resolution of the 14th National Congress, and steadily moving towards two historical milestones: the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Party in 2030 and the 100th anniversary of the founding of the nation in 2045. "Let each page of the newspaper be a brick building social trust and keeping alive the flame of Vietnamese aspiration. The country cannot rise without a courageous, pioneering, and aspirational press," he emphasized.

VIETNAMESE REVOLUTIONARY PRESS STANDS WITH THE NATION

The 2026 National Press Conference will feature the participation of 66 media organizations and journalist associations at all levels, with a total of 87 exhibition booths, divided into a central area, a major media area, a Hai Phong city area, a journalist associations area, and an outdoor exhibition area. The spaces are designed in a modern style, expanding interaction with the public while clearly showcasing the unique identity of each media organization, region, and type of journalism.

A highlight of this year's Press Festival is the central exhibition space: "Vietnamese Journalism: Loyalty, Creativity, and Responsibility in the New Era," organized by the Vietnam Journalism Museum.

The exhibition space is designed as a journey connecting tradition and the future, showcasing the outstanding achievements of Vietnamese journalism over more than a century of development; reflecting the role of journalism in Party building, protecting the Party's ideological foundation, accompanying the country's development and international integration.

Through a system of images, documents, artifacts, graphics, and the application of modern projection technology, the public will have the opportunity to look back at the development of revolutionary journalism, and at the same time better understand the demands, responsibilities, and opportunities facing journalism in the context of organizational restructuring, digital transformation, and the current technological revolution.

In addition to the central space, the Vietnam Press Museum presents an outdoor thematic exhibition, "Journalism and the Flow of Vietnamese Culture," spanning nearly 150 meters. Through carefully selected images, documents, articles, newspaper covers, and propaganda posters, the exhibition showcases the role of journalism in preserving, conserving, promoting, and developing national cultural values ​​throughout history; vividly reflecting the close relationship between journalism and Vietnamese culture from the late 19th century to the present day.

The exhibition's content spans from the earliest journalistic publications that contributed to the dissemination of the Vietnamese Quốc ngữ script and the preservation of traditional customs and practices; the role of journalism in building a new culture during the resistance war; to the outstanding achievements of journalism in the development of culture, the cultural industry, and the building of Vietnamese cultural values ​​in the era of integration and digital transformation.

By visiting this space, the public not only gains access to valuable journalistic materials but also has the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the role of journalism as a cultural creator, a channel for disseminating the nation's positive values, and a contributor to shaping cultural development in the new era.

Van Toan - Minh Duy