Taking innovation as a driving force, taking technology as a tool to elevate Vietnamese journalism (*)

On the morning of June 19, in Hanoi, the National Press Festival 2025 opened with the theme "Loyal, Creative, Courageous, Innovative Vietnamese Press for the Cause of Building and Protecting the Fatherland". SGGP Newspaper respectfully introduces the original speech of Comrade Nguyen Trong Nghia, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central Propaganda and Education Commission at the opening ceremony.

Comrade Nguyen Trong Nghia, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central Propaganda and Education Commission, spoke at the opening ceremony of the 2025 National Press Festival.

Dear comrades, members of the Party Central Committee, leaders of central departments, ministries and branches, and leaders of press agencies!

Dear veteran journalists and international guests!

Dear delegates and public!

Today, in the capital Hanoi, a thousand years of culture and heroism - the heart of the whole country, where the cultural quintessence of our nation converges, I am very pleased to attend the Opening Ceremony of the National Press Festival 2025 - an important event of profound political significance, and at the same time, a cultural and professional festival for journalists and the press public nationwide.

On behalf of the Party and State leaders, I respectfully send my sincere feelings and best wishes to the leaders of the Central Committees, ministries and branches, veteran journalists, distinguished delegates, and all cadres, reporters, editors, journalists and the press public nationwide.

Dear delegates!

Dear comrades!

The 2025 National Press Festival has special significance, being held on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925 - June 21, 2025) - exactly a century since the first revolutionary newspaper of Vietnam - Thanh Nien, founded by leader Nguyen Ai Quoc, Vietnam's revolutionary press has gone through a historical journey associated with the sacred mission: Accompanying the nation, serving the Fatherland, serving the people.

Keeping in mind his advice: “Journalists are also revolutionary soldiers. Pens and paper are their sharp weapons”, generations of revolutionary journalists have always been steadfast, persistent, and pioneers, affirming their role as the vanguard force on the ideological and cultural front, contributing to creating consensus, arousing strong will and belief in the victory of the struggle for national liberation, national unification, and the cause of innovation, development, and deep integration into the current international life.

The press is truly the voice of the Party and the State, a trusted forum for the people; a strong bridge between the Party's will and the people's hearts; a mirror reflecting the thoughts and aspirations of the whole society; a place to spread humanistic values, promote beauty and rightness, resolutely fight against evil and wrongness; take the lead in protecting the Party's ideological foundation, fight against and refute erroneous and hostile viewpoints; and light up the people's faith in the path to socialism led by the Communist Party of Vietnam .

Delegates visit exhibition booths at the 2025 National Press Conference

Dear delegates!

Dear comrades!

Along with the activities of the delegation of press agencies chaired by the Vietnam Journalists Association in Guangzhou (China) - the birthplace of Thanh Nien newspaper - the mouthpiece of the organization "Vietnam Revolutionary Youth Comrades Association", following those activities, the 2025 National Press Festival was held with the theme "Vietnamese Press - Loyal, Creative, Courageous, Innovative for the cause of building and defending the Fatherland" which was carefully and elaborately prepared, with the participation of many press agencies, all levels of journalist associations, the attention and encouragement of veteran journalists and the public nationwide.

This year's press conference is a vivid symbol of the spirit of inheritance and development: From the space displaying the rich history of journalism, to the exhibitions of press documents, press products, and new technology applications, all have vividly demonstrated the journey of development from tradition to modernity, from print, electronic, spoken, visual to multi-platform journalism, from "pen, paper" to "artificial intelligence and big data"...

Following the success of the first National Press Forum in 2024, at this year's press conference, the Vietnam Journalists Association organized the second National Press Forum, with 12 in-depth discussion sessions, addressing strategic and topical issues of modern journalism, as comrade Le Quoc Minh, member of the Party Central Committee, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Commission, President of the Vietnam Journalists Association, has just given very specific reports.

This is not only an opportunity for journalists to discuss professional matters, but also an opportunity to reflect and shape a long-term development strategy for the country's revolutionary journalism in the context of globalization and strong digital transformation taking place today.

The participation of leaders of press agencies, prominent domestic journalists and international media experts further clarified the professionalism and high political quality of the forum, demonstrating the prestige and position of Vietnamese press in the region.

Sideline activities, such as the 3rd Journalists and Public Opinion Cup Football Tournament, art performances, interactive experiences, and awards for impressive exhibition booths, have contributed to creating a comprehensive and vibrant press conference space, spreading cultural values, community values, and beliefs in a professional, humane, and modern journalism.

I warmly commend the Vietnam Journalists Association, all levels of the association, press agencies and units for organizing this year's press conference on an increasingly large scale, with increasingly high quality and a modern and attractive format.

This is the result of close coordination and dedication, and is also a testament to the sense of responsibility, love for the profession and desire to contribute of the team of journalists in Vietnam.

Head of the Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Commission Nguyen Trong Nghia and delegates visited the exhibition booth of the Ho Chi Minh City Journalists Association

Dear delegates!

Dear comrades!

The rapid development of technology is dramatically changing all areas of life, posing opportunities and challenges for Vietnam's revolutionary journalism.

Our Party and State are vigorously implementing the arrangement and streamlining of the apparatus of agencies, units, and localities, including the press system, with the goal of improving efficiency, effectiveness, and efficiency, meeting the requirements of the practical situation, namely: Streamlining - to become stronger. Merging - to become more elite. Innovation - to maintain the mission of serving the people and accompanying the country.

In order for revolutionary press to fulfill its responsibilities to the Fatherland and the people, each press agency and each journalist must always consciously study and improve their professional knowledge; maintain and promote political mettle, be determined to innovate more strongly; and increase the application of technology, especially digital transformation and artificial intelligence, to change the process of production, distribution and access to press information.

We must take innovation as the driving force and technology as a tool to elevate Vietnamese journalism.

Furthermore, we need to boldly innovate from within – innovate the thinking of press leadership, innovate the editorial model, innovate the method of content production and distribution, and innovate the relationship between the press and the public.

The press needs to deepen its role in social criticism, protecting the Party's ideological foundation, promoting solidarity, creating consensus, strongly arousing patriotism and national pride, inspiring and aspirant to contribute, contributing to bringing the country firmly into a new era, an era of wealth, civilization, prosperity and national growth.

The Vietnamese revolutionary press has gone through a glorious century. But glory is only truly valuable when it is followed by the aspiration to reach further. Today's opening ceremony is to remember, to show gratitude and also for us to look forward together.

I hope that each journalist and each press agency will work together to create the future: Innovation in thinking, innovation in expression and deeper social role. The public comes to the national press conference today to affirm their trust and entrust their expectations to the team of steadfast writers as well as revolutionary press products that will truly shine, "leading the way" in the era of national development.

General Secretary To Lam pointed out: "The new era also sets new, higher requirements and tasks for revolutionary journalism, requiring the press to develop accordingly, grow together with the nation, and be worthy of professional, humane, and modern journalism."

That admonition is the strategic orientation, the order of action for us today - so that from this press conference, the Vietnamese revolutionary press can firmly enter a new stage with a steadfast stance, a desire for innovation and a noble mission: to serve the Fatherland and the people.

Each journalist will love their profession more, be more steadfast and have more aspirations to continue on the new path with a higher spirit of dedication and responsibility, worthy of being a pioneer force on the ideological and cultural front in the new era.

Wishing all leaders, delegates, journalists and the press public nationwide good health and happiness. Wishing the 2025 National Press Conference great success!

Thank you very much!

(*): Title given by Saigon Giai Phong Newspaper

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/lay-doi-moi-lam-dong-luc-lay-cong-nghe-lam-cong-cu-de-nang-tam-bao-chi-viet-nam-post800163.html