"100 stories from the profession" - the "flames" of journalism.

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Vietnam's Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925 - June 21, 2025), the National Political Publishing House, in collaboration with the Vietnam Press Museum, has compiled and published the book "100 Stories of the Profession". The 100 stories of Vietnamese and international journalists in this book serve to further ignite the "flame" for today's journalists, inspiring them to stay committed to their profession.

Photo: ajc.edu.vn

The stories in the book once again honor the proud tradition of Vietnamese revolutionary journalism. These are typical and symbolic stories of the journalistic profession. Most notably, the article "From a Red Brick to the House of Revolutionary Journalism" outlines the journey of laying the foundation for Vietnamese revolutionary journalism with the Thanh Nien newspaper founded by leader Nguyen Ai Quoc. There are also stories of many famous journalists such as Truong Chinh, Xuan Thuy, Ha Dang, and others.

Huu Tho…

As recounted in the story "The person who directly delivered 'Things That Need to Be Done Immediately' to the Party Newspaper" about journalist Huu Tho, it is said that: On Sunday afternoon, May 24, 1987, an "elderly man" personally came to Nhan Dan Newspaper to submit an article to the Standing Committee member, right during Huu Tho's shift, at which time he was a member of the Editorial Board. The letter was not marked as urgent, but addressed "Central Party Office," so Huu Tho opened it immediately. Inside was a handwritten article titled "Things That Need to Be Done Immediately," accompanied by a handwritten letter. It was then that Huu Tho realized that the "elderly man" was none other than General Secretary Nguyen Van Linh. In the following days, from May 25 to 30, five articles titled "Things That Need to Be Done Immediately" by the author NVL were published. The "Things That Need to Be Done Immediately" column in Nhan Dan Newspaper became famous and attracted considerable public attention. The book also includes a handwritten letter from General Secretary Nguyen Van Linh, which reads: "From now on, I will submit short articles under the heading 'Things That Need to Be Done Immediately'. I hope that you comrades will approve them for publication. Please feel free to make any necessary corrections to the content or writing style. I will try to write regularly, unless I am too busy with work or have to travel far."

For example, the story "As a Communist, one must study for life" portrays journalist and General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong as diligent, dedicated to his work, and especially passionate about lifelong learning during his time at the Communist Magazine. Another example is the article "For every journalist to truly be the secretary of the era" by journalist Ha Dang, offering readers, especially journalists today, many insightful reflections on the role of journalism in guiding society. Readers also learn about the origin of the famous phrase "Bright eyes, pure heart, sharp pen" by journalist Huu Tho, as a motto and guiding principle for journalists. Journalist and photographer Chu Chi Thanh, former President of the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists and former Head of the Photo Editorial Board of the Vietnam News Agency, recounts "The story behind the photograph of two soldiers," vividly demonstrating the power of reconciliation through images seen through the perspective of a wartime journalist.

The book also recounts many stories about international journalists working in Vietnam, supporting the just resistance of the Vietnamese people against foreign invaders. For example, there is the story of journalist Wilfred Burchett (1922-1983), who in 1954 met President Ho Chi Minh in the Viet Bac war zone and promptly reported on the victory at Dien Bien Phu.

"100 Stories from the Profession" also recounts the journey of building the Nhan Dan Newspaper, the formation of the Tin Tuc (Vietnam News Agency) newspaper, and then the Saigon Giai Phong newspaper… With various forms of radio, television, and documentaries, the book also devotes a significant amount of space to telling interesting stories. Through this, it contributes to painting a comprehensive and vivid picture of revolutionary journalism.

"100 Stories from the Profession" offers a wealth of valuable information and fascinating anecdotes, especially helping today's generation of journalists learn a great deal from their predecessors. These pages ignite a passion for journalism!

DANG HUYNH

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/-100-chuyen-nghe-nhung-ngon-lua-nghe-bao-a187540.html