Hanoi (VNA) – President Tran Dai Quang laudedgreat contributions of the press to the country’s achievements in 2017 and thefirst months of 2018 while addressing the closing session of the National PressFestival in Hanoion March 18.

Inthe context of the fourth industrial revolution, domestic press agencies havemade all-out efforts to improve both quality and quantity, the President said.

Apartfrom covering major events and the implementation of tasks for economic, culturaland social development, national defence and security, and external affairs ina timely manner, the press circle has constructively participated in the combatagainst corruption, wastefulness and signs of ideological, ethical andlifestyle degradation, and sabotaged wrongful and distorted allegations byhostile forces, he noted.

Theleader expressed his hope that the Vietnamese revolutionary press will carryforward its leading role in the ideological and cultural front, better orientpublic opinions, and connect the Party and State with people.

Themed  “Vietnamesepress accompanies the nation in renewal,”  this year’s three-day eventattracted 59 units from the Vietnam Journalists’ Association (VJA) and itsbranches, journalism training institutes, and companies specialising in pressequipment, with a total of 73 booths.

A highlight at the festival was the four thematic displays - “Thepress with Party building,” “The press with National Assembly and voters,” “Thepress with the building of an integrated, development-facilitating andaction-oriented Government,” and “Ethics of journalists.”

The festival also featured a forum on thepress’s role in Government building, along with numerous exchanges, seminars,photo and painting exhibitions, and art performances. 

On this occasion, the organisation board grantedawards to outstanding press research works for the first time, besidestraditional prizes. The Vietnam News Agency won the first prize for itsattractive and special booth.

The festival was jointly held by the VJA, the HanoiPeople’s Committee, the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee’sInformation and Education Commission, the Ministry of Information andCommunications, and Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. -VNA