The Vietnam Pictorial, published by the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), has received the State’s first-class Independence Order for its excellent achievements in foreign relations as well as in the nation’s defence during the renewal process.

National Assembly Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu presented the honour during a ceremony to mark the 55 th founding anniversary of the magazine, held in Hanoi on October 15.

For the past 55 years, the Vietnam Pictorial has made a great contribution to the nation and has confirmed its position in the Vietnamese media, said NA Vice Chairman Luu, adding that growing from a simple magazine with 22 pages of pictures, the Vietnam Pictorial has now become a national icon which provides photos and news in seven languages.

VNA’s General Director Tran Mai Huong said that the Vietnam Pictorial is an important publication in the agency’s foreign language service.

With more than 600 editions and nearly 40 million copies being printed and distributed all over the world for the past 55 years, it has told the country’s story, he said.

Readers can access the Vietnam Pictorial on its website http://vietnam.vnanet.vn ./.