Attending the event were National Assembly (N.A.) Chairman Tran Thanh Man, Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilization Trinh Van Quyet, Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan, Vice N.A. Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Thanh, along with leaders of central and local agencies, award-winning journalists, and members of the public.
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N.A. Chairman Tran Thanh Man speaks at the event. |
Under the theme “A bright heart to serve - Keeping the flame to lead,” the ceremony celebrated more than a century of Vietnam’s revolutionary press, tracing its development from the first issues of the Thanh Nien Newspaper in 1925 to today’s modern multi-platform media environment. Advanced technologies, including interactive performances, robots, laser effects, projection mapping, and LED systems, were integrated into the program.
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Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilization Trinh Van Quyet, delegates and award-winners from the People’s Army Newspaper at the event. |
This year, 1,692 entries qualified for the preliminary round. After reviewing 177 shortlisted works, the final judging council selected 123 award-winning entries, including 11 first prizes, 26 second prizes, 50 third prizes, and 36 consolation prizes. The People’s Army Newspaper won four awards, including two second prizes, one third prize, and one consolation prize.
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N.A. Chairman Tran Thanh Man and Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilization Trinh Van Quyet hand over first prize to outstanding journalists. |
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Outstanding journalists awarded second and third prizes |
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Journalists receiving consolation prize. |
Speaking at the ceremony, Le Quoc Minh, Editor-in-Chief of the Nhan Dan Newspaper, Deputy Head of the Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilization, and Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists Association, said the National Press Awards had become a prestigious annual event that encourages journalists to remain committed to the values and responsibilities of the profession. He noted that the award-winning works reflected constructive and humanistic journalism while portraying a nation undergoing profound transformation, innovation, and development.
On behalf of Party and State leaders, N.A. Chairman Tran Thanh Man praised journalists nationwide and congratulated the award winners. He emphasized that the press must continue to effectively communicate Party and State policies, promote innovation, and encourage public participation in national development.
He stressed that the press must remain at the forefront of protecting the Party’s ideological foundation and countering false and hostile narratives. Wherever distorted and reactionary claims emerge, the press must respond with firm rebuttals; wherever harmful information or misguided thinking appears, the press must present the truth and strengthen public confidence.
The Chairman also called on journalists to maintain strong political conviction, professional integrity, high-level expertise, and technological proficiency in order to adapt to an increasingly complex media environment. He emphasized the importance of strengthening policy analysis and guiding public opinion to transform the Party’s guidelines and State’s policies into public understanding, trust, and action.
Preserving journalism’s essential role in the AI era
The rapid rise of artificial intelligence has sparked debate about whether technology could replace journalism. At the National Press Forum 2026, held in Hai Phong on June 19 and 20, experts agreed that AI remains a tool and cannot replace reporting, political stance, or dedication of professional journalists.
During the forum, the Vietnam Journalists Association announced a set of 10 principles governing AI use in journalism. The guidelines emphasize that AI should support rather than replace journalists and that all AI-generated content must be verified, edited, and approved by humans while complying with legal, ethical, transparency, and copyright requirements.
Journalism experts also highlighted the importance of producing exclusive, compelling content and making effective use of journalistic data. Investigative reporting continues to attract strong public interest because it not only uncovers wrongdoing but also protects justice and contributes to positive social change.
One notable example was the investigative series “The tricks used to disguise untraceable vegetables for school meals,” published by Nong Thon Ngay Nay/Dan Viet Online Newspaper, which won a first prize. The series revealed that vegetables marketed as safe products and supplied to schools in Hanoi did not meet advertised quality standards. Following publication, authorities conducted inspections, imposed penalties, and required schools to review procurement procedures to ensure safer meals for students.
Despite differences in subject matter and presentation, the award-winning works shared a common goal of providing information while contributing to a more transparent, safer, and better society. Journalism remains uniquely positioned to reflect reality, communicate Party’s guideline and State’s policies in daily life, connect public aspirations with national goals, and foster social consensus.
Captain Ngo Viet Trung of the People’s Army Newspaper, whose photo essay, titled “Operation Quang Trung: The Footprint of Uncle Ho’s soldiers in disaster-stricken areas,” received a second prize, said the campaign demonstrated the Party, State, and military’s commitment to supporting citizens during difficult times. Beyond the thousands of houses built or repaired, he noted, the campaign strengthened public trust and provided people with motivation to overcome hardship and rebuild their lives.
The 20th National Press Awards delivered a clear message that in an age of information overload, the principles that define professional journalism remain more important than ever. Journalism’s mission is not only to produce information but also to verify, analyze, explain, and take responsibility for it. By providing truthful, objective, and carefully verified reporting, the press continues to serve the public interest and strengthen trust in society.
Translated by Tran Hoai