Attending the ceremony were senior leaders of the Party and State, including Tran Thanh Man, Member of the Politburo and Chairman of the National Assembly, Trinh Van Quyet, Member of the Politburo, Vo Thi Anh Xuan, Nguyen Thi Thanh, Le Quoc Minh, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper and Head of the National Press Awards Steering Committee. 
Representing Hai Phong were Le Ngoc Chau and other city leaders, alongside representatives from government agencies, media organizations, and journalists nationwide. 
A Call for Journalism to Uphold Trust in the AI Era
In his opening speech, Le Quoc Minh emphasized that over two decades National Press Awards have served as a platform for nurturing journalistic talent and encouraging journalists to maintain political integrity and social responsibility.
He noted that while artificial intelligence and digital technologies have been transforming media production, the greatest challenge of modern journalism is not technology itself but preserving the profession’s core values. Professional journalism today must go beyond simply delivering information; it must verify facts, provide analysis, explain the truth, and remain accountable for published content. In doing so, journalism helps build a reliable “infrastructure of trust” amid the flood of misinformation circulating on social media.
The 20th edition of the awards showcased significant advances in professional quality, multimedia storytelling, and cross-platform journalism. Many entries addressed major national issues, including streamlining the political system and administrative reforms, preparations for the 14th National Party Congress, defending the Party’s ideological foundations, economic development and public investment, national digital transformation, investigations into smuggling, tax evasion, and major corruption cases. 
These works contributed to policy development, social consensus, and public confidence in Party and State leadership.
Honoring 123 Outstanding Works
After rigorous preliminary and final evaluations, the National Press Awards Council selected 123 outstanding works across 13 categories, including 11 First Prizes (A Awards), 26 Second Prizes (B Awards), 50 Third Prizes (C Awards), 36 Consolation Prizes 
The winning works reflected journalists’ dedication, courage, creativity, and commitment to covering critical issues affecting the nation. Beyond demonstrating professional excellence and strong political awareness, these works helped foster public understanding and strengthen social trust.
Each award not only honored individual journalists and teams but also affirmed the standing and credibility of Viet Nam’s news organizations during a period of rapid transformation.
National Assembly Chairman’s Vision for Journalism
Speaking on behalf of Party and State leaders, Tran Thanh Man praised journalists nationwide, particularly the award recipients.
He stated that after 20 years, the National Press Awards have become Viet Nam’s most prestigious professional journalism award recognizing not only excellent reporting but also political courage, professional ethics, and journalists’ enduring commitment to public service.
Looking ahead, he stressed that journalism must continue to innovate and take on greater responsibilities. Journalists should uphold the core values of revolutionary journalism, lead efforts to protect the Party’s ideological foundations, firmly counter misinformation and distorted narratives, strengthen public trust and provide accurate information, improve political awareness, professional ethics, and technological skills, enhance their capacity for policy analysis and public opinion guidance. 
Quoting a message from To Lam, he emphasized that journalism should remain a trusted source where citizens can turn to understand the truth.
He expressed confidence that Viet Nam’s revolutionary press will continue to become more professional, humane, and modern while using its “sharp pen” to serve the nation and its people.
Bearing in mind President Ho Chi Minh’s guidance, he expressed his deep belief that Viet Nam’s revolutionary journalism will become increasingly professional, humane, and modern, and that journalists will continue to wield their sharp pens in service of the nation and the people.

An artistic journey through the history of revolutionary journalism
The 20th National Press Awards also marked the 20-year development of the country’s most prestigious journalism award.
More than a conventional awards ceremony, the event was designed as an artistic and professional journey tracing over a century of Vietnamese revolutionary journalism under the Party’s leadership.
Through a combination of modern stage technology, lighting effects, music, and archival footage, the program unfolded in three thematic chapters:
1. “Hai Phong Converges” 
2. “The Source That Ignites the Flame” 
3. “The Pen of the New Era” 
These performances recreated key milestones in Vietnamese journalism, from the founding of Thanh Nien Newspaper by Ho Chi Minh in 1925, through wartime reporting by journalist-soldiers to journalism’s pioneering role in national renewal, international integration, and today’s digital transformation.
The artistic program highlighted the enduring mission of Vietnamese journalism and inspired future generations of journalists with pride, dedication, and professional responsibility.