Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended and delivered a speech at the event. Besides, there were the Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central Propaganda Committee, Head of the Steering Committee for External Information Nguyen Trong Nghia; comrades from the Party Central Committee, leaders of Central departments, ministries, units, and organizations; representatives of embassies and international organizations in Vietnam; leaders of press and publishing agencies; and award-winning authors and author groups.

In his remark, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh congratulated those who work in external information. He stressed that Vietnam had left an imprint as a peace-loving, tenacious, clever, and courageous nation in fighting for independence and unification. Nowadays, international friends are familiar with a safe, friendly, stable, integrated, and developed Vietnam.

According to the Prime Minister, those achievements are reached thanks to the significant contribution of political, ideological, and foreign affairs work in general, and external information in particular. External information has made impressive developments. News reporting is increasingly quick, comprehensive, and unique, serving as a bridge for the international community to clearly and correctly understand the policies, guidelines, and policies of Vietnam's Party and State. It also helps countries and people around the world understand and support Vietnam's views on international issues and promotes the image of the country, its people, history, culture of the nation, and development achievements.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh awarded the first prize to the authors (Photo: Ha Van)

External information has been a bridge to convey international issues to all walks of life, contributing to stimulating patriotism, national pride, and aspiration for development, connecting Vietnam with the rest of the world. It also contributes to mobilizing resources to build and develop the country and fight against wrong and distorted information and opinions from opportunistic and hostile forces.

The mentioned roles are shown through more than 1,400 works on external information with unique and innovative content, in this year's award. The works cover important political, foreign affairs, and cultural events of the country, demonstrating the traditional beauty of national solidarity, strengthening people's confidence, and creating motivation for socio-economic development.

The entries are presented in diverse, unique, and modern forms, meeting the needs and habits in information access of all classes of people at home and abroad, as well as international friends. This demonstrates the positive spirit and responsibility of press agencies, research agencies, organizations, individuals, artists, experts, and scholars.

Five awards granted to the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations

VUFO's five award-winning works are presented in three languages, including Vietnamese, English, and Japanese. They are presented in diverse forms, from foreign-language printed magazine, song to photobook.

Aliser Mukhamedov, Chairman of the Uzbekistan - Vietnam Friendship Association, received a third prize for the song "Tashkent - Hanoi, Hanoi - Tashkent" (Photo: Mai Anh)

Among them, two entries won the third prize, including the song "Tashkent - Hanoi, Hanoi - Tashkent" composed by Aliser Mukhamedov, Chairman of the Uzbekistan - Vietnam Friendship Association, and the Vietnamese - Japanese special magazine issue named "50 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan: Towards new heights of friendship and cooperation in the future" by the VietnamTimes.

VUFO's authors and representatives of the author groups who won prizes (Photo: Mai Anh).

Three other works won the Consolation Prize, including the book "Encounters - Vietnamese Historical Stories" by Anjuska Weil, member of the Swiss Labor Party, President of the Switzerland - Vietnam Friendship Association, the Vietnam-US Magazine's article "Unique features in the Declaration on Establishment of Comprehensive Partnership between Vietnam and the United States," and photo series "Mu Cang Chai - Awakening a potential" by Bach Duong (Birch) Magazine.

The VietnamTimes won a third prize at the 9th National External Information Service Awards Continuing previous years' achievements, the VietnamTimes participated and won a third prize in Foreign-language printed newspaper at the 9th National External Information Service Awards. Its winning product is the special issue named "50 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan: Towards new heights of friendship and cooperation in the future." In 2023, Vietnam - Japan celebrates the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations (September 21, 1973 - September 21, 2023). The two Parties, States, and Peoples attach special importance to the bilateral cooperation and friendship as well as this anniversary. Many activities were organized to evaluate and recognize the achievements, potentials, and opportunities for cooperation between the two sides, noting proposals and plans to further develop bilateral relations. On this occasion, the VietnamTimes publishes a special bilingual issue to deploy external information tasks through the people-to-people channel, contributing to strengthening friendship and understanding and promoting opportunities for cooperation and exchange between the two countries. The issue reviews the history of the special relationship between the States and Peoples of Vietnam and Japan during 50 years of diplomatic relations, thereby promoting the results and achievements in the fields where the two sides have cooperated and supported each other to convey and educate people of all walks of life, especially the younger generations, about the particular spirit of international cooperation. Representative of the VietnamTimes' author group (4th from right) and other authors receiving the third prize at the 9th National External Information Service Awards. Promoting the advantages and characteristics of "people-to-people diplomacy", the special Issue has exploited and presented information, stories, people, and models regarding people-to-people relations between the two countries over the past 50 years and beyond in vivid, diverse, attractive, modern forms that are suitable for the reading culture of Vietnamese and Japanese people. Articles in the issue reflect comments and analysis regarding the potential of the bilateral relationship, and express the aspirations and thoughts of the people, businesses, and other social classes for future bilateral relations. It builds a forum to answer questions and remove barriers and obstacles as well as create conditions, space, legal corridors, and science and technology cooperation so that people and businesses have a more favorable environment for future cooperation and exchange.

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