The Vietnam Pictorial, one of the Vietnam News Agency’s publications, has contributed to the country’s external relations and should continue its efforts to bring the land and people of Vietnam closer to international readers.

The pictorial magazine should promote Vietnam as a safe destination for investors and international partners to explore development opportunities, and appeal for global support for Vietnam’s efforts in poverty alleviation and climate change adaptation.

Addressing a ceremony to mark the 60th anniversary of the magazine in Hanoi on October 15, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said he hoped the pictorial’s staff would step up cooperation with VNA reporters to make important contributions to the development of photography.

VNA General Director Nguyen Duc Loi spoke with pride of the 70 reporters and editors working for the Vietnam Pictorial, which is published in numerous foreign languages and read all over the world.

The magazine plays an important role in the VNA’s news for foreign services, which has been improving continuously, he said.

The pictorial staff needs to reform the format and content of the paper with the support of technology to spread information more effectively and persuasively, he suggested.

Launched in 1954, the multilingual magazine has been going for 670 editions, with approximately 50 million copies issued internationally, featuring the historical and cultural values of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups.

Currently, it has five periodical editions, including the monthly print version in Vietnamese, English and Chinese; the bimonthly print version in Spanish and Laotian; the online version in Vietnamese, Chinese, Russian, English, French, Spanish, Japanese and Laotian at vietnam.vnanet.vn; and Dep (Beauty) magazine, a monthly supplement.

In February last year, the Vietnam-Korea Times, the first Korean language paper, was issued in Vietnam .
The pictorial received the Party and State’s noble awards, including the Independence Order, first, second, and third class in recognition of its contributions to promoting Vietnam abroad.

On the occasion, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam and VNA leaders launched the online version of the pictorial in the Khmer language, the pictorial’s 9 th language of publication.-VNA