Hai Phong (VNA) – National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man urged the press to continue developing in a professional, humane and modern manner, and better serving the Fatherland and the people, while addressing the 20th National Press Awards Ceremony in the northern port city of Hai Phong on June 21.
The event, which marked the 101st anniversary of Vietnam's Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925 – 2026), was also attended by senior Party and State leaders, representatives of central and local agencies, veteran journalists and leaders of media organisations nationwide.
Chairman Man highlighted the significant contributions of Vietnam’s revolutionary press throughout the country’s development process. He said the press has consistently been at the forefront of safeguarding the Party’s ideological foundation, combating false and hostile views, exposing corruption, wastefulness and negative phenomena, and at the same time, promoting positive role models and humanitarian values.
The press has also played an important role in disseminating knowledge, preserving and promoting the nation’s cultural identity, and introducing the image of Vietnam and its people to the international community, he stressed.
The top legislator noted that after two decades, the National Press Awards have established themselves as the country’s most prestigious professional journalism prize. Beyond recognising outstanding works that reflect reality with creativity, constructiveness and humanistic values, the awards also honour journalists’ political mettle, professional ethics, social responsibility and dedication to public service.
On behalf of Party and State leaders, Chairman Man commended journalists across the country, particularly the authors and groups of authors whose works were honoured at this awarding ceremony.
He stressed that as Vietnam enters a new stage of development with both opportunities and challenges, the press must continue to innovate itself in order to shoulder greater responsibilities. Journalists should always uphold the core values of the revolutionary press, including unwavering loyalty to the Party, the nation and the people, and placing national interests above all else.
Chairman Man reiterated a message highlighted by Party General Secretary and State President To Lam in his recent article entitled “Vietnam’s Revolutionary Press in the Digital Era,” that “The press must be a place where the public turns for reliable verification, not one that simply follows trends. Society needs a trusted source to understand the truth accurately. Citizens need to know what has happened, why it happened, who is affected, where responsibility lies, and what evidence-based solutions are available”.
The NA Chairman called on the press to disseminate the Party’s guidelines and the State’s policies and laws more effectively, foster innovation and encourage the people's participation in national development. He emphasised that the press must continue to take the lead in defending the Party’s ideological foundation, and countering misinformation and distorted narratives.
He also urged journalists to strengthen their political mettle, professional ethics, expertise and technological skills in order to adapt to the rapidly evolving media environment. At the same time, they should enhance their capacity to analyse policies, guide public opinion and transform the Party's policies and the State's laws into public understanding, confidence and action, the top legislator added.
At the National Press Awards 2025 Ceremony, 123 outstanding journalistic works were honoured, including 11 A, 26 B, 50 C, and 36 consolation prizes. The award-winning entries not only demonstrated the professional excellence, political commitment and social responsibility of journalists, but also vividly reflected major national issues, contributing to greater public consensus and social cohesion.
The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) once again affirmed its position as a leading national press agency, securing eight awards across various categories, including one A, two B, three C, and one consolation prizes, together with one award in the multimedia journalism category./.
