The National Press Festival 2026 opened in northern Hai Phong port city on June 19 with the attendance of Mr. Trinh Van Quyet, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of its Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilization, and many other high-ranking officials.
Under the theme "Vietnamese journalism – Loyalty, Creativity, Responsibility in the New Era", the event attracted around 1,000 delegates from across Vietnam.
The festival featured 87 exhibition booths from journalists’ associations, local press organizations and journalism training and research institutions nationwide, including Tap chi Kinh te Viet Nam / Vietnam Economic Times/ VnEcnomy.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Trinh Van Quyet highlighted the proud tradition of Vietnam’s revolutionary press, which has remained closely aligned with the Party’s cause and the nation’s struggle for national independence, protection and development over more than a century.
He was quoted by the Vietnam News Agency as saying that the country’s media sector has undergone significant transformation in recent years, actively streamlining its organizational structure and accelerating digital transformation. Many press agencies have quickly stabilized operations following restructuring, adopted smarter and more efficient models and embraced modern technologies. As a result, a more professional, dynamic and modern press landscape is steadily taking shape.
According to Mr. Quyet, the festival’s theme reflects the pressing requirements of the times. Loyalty is the foundation, creativity is the path, and responsibility is the destination, he said, stressing that while digital technology, artificial intelligence (AI), social media and cross-border platforms are reshaping global communications, the core mission and ideals of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalism remain unchanged.
He called on journalists nationwide to stay close to reality, uphold the Party characteristic and people-centered orientation of the press, remain absolutely loyal to the Fatherland and the revolutionary cause, and continuously innovate and master new technologies.
Press agencies, he added, must serve as strongholds in safeguarding the Party’s ideological foundation, countering false and hostile information, and effectively communicating the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress and other strategic resolutions.
Vietnamese journalism should not only reflect social developments but also help guide them in a positive direction. Each journalistic work should inspire, educate and foster public consensus while encouraging innovation, aspiration and determination in pursuit of the nation’s development goals and vision of prosperity and happiness, he stressed.
According to Mr. Le Quoc Minh, member of the Party Central Committee, Vice Chairman of its Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilization, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper and Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists Association, the festival was held as a major event marking the 101st anniversary of Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925–2026).
The festival also hosts the National Journalism Forum with 11 in-depth discussion sessions covering media restructuring, the role of journalism in safeguarding the Party’s ideological foundation, media support for business development, and the application and governance of AI in Vietnamese newsrooms.
A wide range of accompanying activities, including a singing competition for journalists with participation from domestic and international media professionals from Laos, Thailand and Cambodia, visits to relic sites, and press awards, are expected to make the event an innovative, engaging and practical gathering for the journalism community.
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