Full text of President Luong Cuong's speech at the meeting to honor outstanding journalists nationwide

Dear Party and State Leaders!

Dear veteran journalists, outstanding journalists!

Dear delegates and distinguished guests!

On June 21, 1925, the first issue of the newspaper "Thanh Nien" founded by leader Nguyen Ai Quoc marked the birth of the Vietnamese revolutionary press. Since then, generations of journalists and journalists have continuously grown, always accompanying and making great contributions to the glorious revolutionary cause of our nation. Today, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925 - June 21, 2025), in the solemn and warm atmosphere at the Presidential Palace - where beloved Uncle Ho once lived and worked, I was very moved and happy to meet veteran journalists - those who, despite their advanced age, still nurture the passion for the profession, still follow every step of the country's changes, and continue to accompany, contribute their intelligence and experience to the development of the Vietnamese press; and met 150 journalists and outstanding journalists - representing a large number of journalists across the country.

On behalf of the Party and State leaders, I would like to send to the journalists present today and through you, to all press workers nationwide my warmest greetings, sincere greetings and best wishes. I wish all journalists, press workers, and all comrades good health, happiness, abundant creativity and many new successes in your noble career.

On this meaningful occasion, we would like to express our deep respect, remembrance and gratitude to more than 500 journalists - soldiers and martyrs who have devoted and sacrificed for the glorious revolutionary cause of the nation; I would like to express my deep gratitude to thousands of deceased journalists who have left us many valuable journalistic works, contributing to the enrichment of our country's revolutionary journalism.

In particular, we respectfully remember and are grateful for the immense contributions of our beloved Uncle Ho - journalist Nguyen Ai Quoc - the great President Ho Chi Minh, the founder of Vietnam's revolutionary journalism; opening a new era for the country's press to always play an extremely important role in the glorious revolutionary cause of our Party and nation, as Uncle affirmed: "Regarding the responsibility of the press, Lenin said: The press is the propagandist, the agitator, the collective organizer, the collective leader". Applying that core ideology of Lenin, throughout his revolutionary life, leadership and journalism activities, Uncle Ho was always consistent: "For us journalists, the pen is a sharp weapon, the article is a revolutionary proclamation".

During 100 years of formation and development, under the leadership of Uncle Ho and the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has always been loyal and closely attached to the revolutionary cause of the nation, always been the vanguard force on the ideological-cultural front, propagating, mobilizing, encouraging, and rallying the masses to unite and fight for the revolutionary ideals and aspirations of the nation, truly making outstanding contributions to the great, majestic, and historically significant achievements of the country.

Right from the beginning, although still very young, whether operating openly or secretly and even in imperialist prisons, revolutionary newspapers with a completely new voice, rich in fighting spirit, had the power to attract, enlighten, encourage, and gather the nation's elite children, directly contributing significantly to the process of founding the Communist Party of Vietnam, together with the working people, organizing revolutionary movements from 1930 to create the great victory of the August Revolution in 1945.

During the years when the whole nation fought steadfastly, with great sacrifice and hardship against the French colonialists and the American imperialists, firmly protecting the borders and territories of the Fatherland, generations of Vietnamese journalists and publicists accompanied the nation. Many journalists went to war one after another, holding both pens and guns, many of them heroically sacrificed themselves in the posture of soldiers, fully implementing Uncle Ho's teachings on the mission of journalists in the resistance wars: "Soldiers on the fronts use guns to fight the enemy, you use pens to fight the enemy".

Generations of journalists have been present on all political, military, economic, cultural, diplomatic fronts... in any challenges and circumstances, always excellently fulfilling the duties of journalists - soldiers; making worthy contributions to the glorious revolutionary cause of the nation, encouraging and motivating the entire people and army to fight to protect the independence, freedom, unity and territorial integrity of the Fatherland, for the happiness of the people and the aspiration for socialism.

Entering the period of national construction and defense, our press continues to promote its tradition during the resistance war, being a responsible, dedicated, honest and sober voice, contributing with the entire Party and people to carry out the renovation process with profound revolutionary significance from 1986 to the present.

Over the past 40 years, thanks to the strong impact of the reform ideology, the press, whose core is journalists and journalists, has overcome many challenges and difficulties, continued to develop, made efforts to truthfully and promptly reflect the people's life of struggle, labor and creativity, protect the good, the right and affirm new factors; soberly and courageously expose and fight against the bad, the evil, degeneration, corruption, waste, negativity... Contributing to creating a new face of the modern, humane, national Vietnamese revolutionary press, striving to closely follow the moving life, closely attached to the people, sensitive to the breath of life, creating many valuable press works, rich in realism, fighting spirit, increasingly diverse in both content and expression methods, increasingly meeting the public's new needs for modern journalism.

Dear comrades!

Our country is transforming itself into a new era, with a burning desire to make our country develop into a rich, prosperous, and happy country. That is the eternal dream of our ancestors and our people, and from now on that responsibility rests on all of us; in which, with its mission and role, the press must always be a sober and trustworthy companion, must be the vanguard and pioneer in that great cause.

As you know, in these months and years, the Party and the State have issued and resolutely implemented important and breakthrough policies. Along with great opportunities and chances, we also have to face many difficulties and challenges. That context poses a very heavy task for the Vietnamese press and journalists, with increasingly high requirements, so that the press is not only a companion but also a pioneer, a forecaster of the movement and development of life. With that in mind, at today's warm and friendly meeting, I would like to discuss with you, comrades and journalists, the following issues:

The first,Throughout his life serving the Fatherland, serving the people and during his more than 50 years of journalism, Uncle Ho drew an extremely profound lesson: “Journalists are also revolutionary soldiers. Pens and paper are their sharp weapons”. The achievements of our country’s revolutionary press, our outstanding and typical journalists over the past 100 years all originated from thoroughly understanding, studying and following this advice of Uncle Ho. That is the most fundamental lesson about the role, qualities and ethics that revolutionary journalists today and tomorrow need to learn, practice and strive to follow.

Monday,As revolutionary soldiers - as Uncle Ho advised, Vietnamese journalists need to maintain political courage, professional ethics, heart, vision, and talent; maintain the flame of passion for the profession, be loyal to the revolutionary ideals of the Party, to the cause and aspirations of the nation, and be closely attached to the people. This is the highest requirement and also my personal wish for journalists and revolutionary journalists; in order to be able to create truly valuable journalistic works, discover and reflect truthfully and promptly the truth of life.

Directly participating in the cause of innovation, contributing to realizing the aspiration to develop a rich, prosperous and happy country; requiring the press, journalists and journalists to innovate themselves, making efforts to reflect truthfully, vividly and persuasively new developments, the good, the noble, the kindness in life, while at the same time courageously and strictly condemning and criticizing the evil, the base, the degeneration, the corruption, waste, negativity, bad habits, vices, social evils, resolutely fighting against erroneous and hostile viewpoints, protecting the Party's ideological foundation, consolidating and strengthening the people's trust, thereby actively contributing to the victory of the cause of building people, innovating and developing the country in the new era. I think that is the special fighting power of the press and of journalists and journalists in the new era, as Uncle Ho taught: "Your pens are also sharp weapons in the cause of supporting justice and eliminating evil."

Tuesday,Our press is developing in a new context, in which science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation have become strategic pillars to bring our country into an era of breakthrough development. It requires that our press grasp that inevitable development trend, resolutely and urgently innovate comprehensively, synchronously, and in accordance with the specific laws of the press to create press products that breathe the breath of the times, have creativity, and explore new content and methods of expression. Proactively grasp modern media trends, gradually create a new model of revolutionary press in the digital transformation period, the stormy development of science, technology, etc. That is a great cause, with many challenges, but the entire press industry of our country must do it because that is the inevitable path that modern press must reach.

Wednesday,I propose that central and local agencies, according to their functions and tasks, proactively coordinate to study and propose to competent authorities to perfect mechanisms and policies, creating conditions for journalists and journalists to be able to make a living from their profession, love their profession, and feel secure in their commitment to their profession. At the same time, continue to pay attention to training, fostering, promoting, and honoring dedicated journalists and young journalists, in order to build a team of dedicated journalists, dedicated to their profession, truly "revolutionary soldiers on the ideological-cultural front" as our beloved Uncle Ho instructed.

Thursday,With the efforts of the entire press industry, the leadership, direction and management of the Party and the State, I hope and believe that veteran journalists, journalists and exemplary journalists, with their talent, experience, life experience and professional experience, you will continue to contribute to the revolutionary cause, and be a spiritual support, imparting experience and creative inspiration to the generations of journalists today and tomorrow, helping them to continue, maintain the precious tradition and bring the Vietnamese revolutionary press to new heights, meeting the expectations and trust of the Party, State and people for our noble journalism career.

Dear comrades!

Once again, I would like to send to journalists, outstanding journalists, delegates, and distinguished guests my best wishes for health, happiness, and success.

Thank you very much.