The press must grow alongside the nation.

On the evening of January 20th, in Hanoi, the Central Organizing Committee, in coordination with the Nhan Dan Newspaper, the Communist Magazine, Vietnam Television, and the Vietnam Journalists Association , held the Announcement and Award Ceremony for the 9th National Journalism Award on Party Building, named "Golden Hammer and Sickle," for the year 2024, and a special art program "With the Party, complete trust and love" to celebrate the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam (February 3, 1930 – February 3, 2025). General Secretary To Lam attended, delivered a speech, and presented awards to the top-ranking authors.

The Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper is pleased to present the full text of General Secretary To Lam 's speech at the 9th National Journalism Award Ceremony on Party Building, named "Golden Hammer and Sickle," in 2024:

General Secretary To Lam speaks at the 9th National Journalism Award Ceremony on Party Building, named "Golden Hammer and Sickle," in 2024. Photo: VNA

“Today, in the joyful atmosphere of the whole country entering the new year 2025 and the entire Party, people, and army are enthusiastically competing towards the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam, I am very pleased to attend the closing ceremony and awarding of the 9th National Journalism Award on Party building, named “Golden Hammer and Sickle,” in 2024. This is a particularly meaningful event to recognize and honor the great contributions of the revolutionary press in the work of building and rectifying the Party. On behalf of the Party and State leaders and with my personal feelings, I would like to send my warmest greetings, heartfelt regards, and best wishes to all comrades on the occasion of the New Year.”

In 2025, the revolutionary press of Vietnam will celebrate its 100th anniversary – a significant milestone marking the glorious historical journey of the revolutionary press alongside the birth, growth, and development of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Throughout that period, under the leadership of the Party, primarily and directly led by President Ho Chi Minh, the revolutionary press of Vietnam has always been a core force, playing a pioneering role on the ideological and cultural front, making immense contributions to the revolutionary cause of the Party and the country. In particular, the team of revolutionary journalists wrote about the Party with all their feelings, responsibility, and dedication; not only reflecting reality but also inspiring faith, responsibility, and contributing to creating consensus throughout society under the Party's leadership.

The National Press Award on Party Building, named "Golden Hammer and Sickle," was established and developed to recognize and honor the significant role and contributions of revolutionary journalism. Through nine editions, the award has increasingly affirmed its prestige, stature, and demonstrated the professional maturity and political acumen of professional and non-professional journalists writing on the topic of Party building. These journalists have truly embraced their responsibilities and immersed themselves in the work of building and rectifying the Party and the political system, reflecting and analyzing diverse and rich aspects of Party building work in all types of Party organizations and across the country.

I am very pleased to learn that the 9th National Press Award on Party Building – 2024 continues to achieve outstanding results in both quantity and quality. This is reflected in the positive and proactive response of press agencies, journalist associations and federations, and the enthusiastic participation of numerous authors and groups of authors from the central to local levels.

This year's entries are not only rich in content but also demonstrate meticulous investment and creative form, reflecting comprehensively and with a focus on key aspects of Party building. Many works have boldly addressed major, complex, and urgent issues facing the country, Party building, and the political system.

The press has truly affirmed its pioneering role by promptly condemning negative behaviors and relentlessly fighting corruption, waste, and erroneous and hostile viewpoints. At the same time, the press has actively disseminated positive values, new models, good practices, and exemplary role models among cadres, Party members, and the people.

Many works not only attract public attention but also contribute to suggesting practical solutions to help Party committees and governments at all levels overcome difficulties and obstacles, and promote development. In particular, the press has done a good job of disseminating the Party's new guidelines and policies, arousing the spirit of innovation and social responsibility among all strata of the people.

These results are vivid evidence of the remarkable growth in thinking, skills, and courage of the Vietnamese press. The works are not only the fruits of creative labor but also reflect the noble responsibility of revolutionary journalism in accompanying the Party and the nation on the path of development.

In particular, over the past period, the press has done an excellent job of widely disseminating the Party's major policies and orientations on the "New Era," on the revolution to streamline the political system's apparatus, and on the efforts and determination to address the "bottlenecks" hindering the country's development... Through this, the revolutionary press of Vietnam has truly integrated itself into the flow of real life, clearly demonstrating its role in leading ideology and accompanying the Party's major steps, creating a spread of faith, responsibility, and aspirations for development among all strata of the people. These contributions are not only the fruits of creative labor but also proof of the courage, intelligence, and social responsibility of the press in fulfilling its historical mission.

General Secretary To Lam and Politburo member, Standing Committee Secretary, and Chairman of the Central Inspection Commission Tran Cam Tu present the A prize to the authors and groups of authors. Photo: VNA.

On behalf of the Party and State leadership, I respectfully acknowledge, commend, and highly appreciate the outstanding contributions of the press nationwide in general, and the press writing about Party building in particular.

Congratulations to the outstanding authors, groups of authors, and organizations selected for the final round and awarded the 9th "Golden Hammer and Sickle" Prize today. These are the most exemplary groups and the most outstanding works, embodying the dedicated creative work, sharp political thinking, intelligence, enthusiasm, and high social responsibility of journalists towards the country, the nation, and our Party.

I would like to commend the Steering Committee and the Organizing Committee of the National Press Award on Party Building – “Golden Hammer and Sickle” – for their dedicated, scientific, and professional work, which has continuously contributed to improving the quality and expanding the scale of the award year after year.

The achievements from the "Golden Hammer and Sickle" Award are not only a source of pride for Vietnam's revolutionary press, but also affirm the immense role of journalism in building and reforming the Party and the political system. The winning works today not only bear the personal mark of the journalists, but also reflect the sense of responsibility, unity, and collective effort of the entire national press in the common cause of the nation.

The country's achievements over nearly 40 years of reform are immense. A new era is opening up a bright future for the nation. This new era also places new and higher demands on revolutionary journalism, requiring it to develop accordingly, to grow alongside the nation, and to reach the level of a professional, humane, and modern press. The public desires more and more truly outstanding writers and journalistic works that convey the great transformations of the Party and the nation, possessing high political and ideological value.

2025 is a pivotal year for us to resolutely implement the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Party, a year of holding Party congresses at all levels leading up to the 14th National Congress of the Party, and also a year with many important national and ethnic holidays. We also celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Vietnamese Revolutionary Press Day. The most important task in 2025 is to successfully complete the set targets and plans, creating a foundation and premise for breakthroughs in the next term. In this context, the press writing about Party building needs to actively contribute to making our Party increasingly clean, strong, and commensurate with its historical responsibility and mission of leading the nation's development in the new era. The press must closely follow the political tasks and major issues of the Party and the country to focus on comprehensive, in-depth, effective, and targeted propaganda.

Accordingly, the press needs to continue publicizing the Party congresses at all levels leading up to the 14th National Congress of the Party; the strong reform of leadership and governance methods, enhancing the leadership capacity and fighting strength of the Party; promoting the fight against corruption, waste, and negative phenomena; perfecting institutions and improving the capacity for formulating the Party's policies and guidelines… In particular, it is necessary to focus on publicizing the building of a streamlined, strong, efficient, effective, and effective political system. This is a difficult, even very difficult, issue, but it is also a very urgent and mandatory one; the sooner it is done, the more beneficial it will be for the people and the country. In addition, the press needs to promote the implementation of resolutions, bringing them into life so that cadres, Party members, and the people are unified in thought and action; It must reflect the spirit and upward momentum of the nation, strongly arouse patriotism, self-reliance, self-confidence, self-strength, national pride, aspirations for development, and unleash the great power of the great national unity of all people as one, determined to achieve the goals of 100 years under the leadership of the Party and 100 years since the founding of the nation, for a peaceful, independent, democratic, prosperous, civilized, and happy Vietnam.

To achieve these goals and tasks, I propose that ministries, departments, localities, Party committees, and governments continue to pay attention to leading, directing, coordinating, sharing, and creating favorable conditions for press agencies and journalists to perform their functions and tasks well; and actively and proactively provide information to the press. I propose that the Steering Committee and the Organizing Committee of the National Press Award on Party Building – “Golden Hammer and Sickle” continue to research, innovate, and improve the organization and direction of the award effectively, promoting the positive, proactive, dynamic, and creative spirit of press agencies and journalists nationwide; and further improve the quality of the award so that there will be more works worthy of the great achievements of the reform process and the mindset of the nation as it enters a new era.

Our country, our people, and our entire political system are undergoing powerful transformations, operating with a new spirit and new speed, aiming to create new impetus, new efficiency, and new vitality for the task of building and protecting the Fatherland and developing the country.

Spring is arriving in every street corner, every road, every home across our beloved homeland. Spring also shines brightly on the faces of every Vietnamese person, proud of the country entering a new era, proud of the glorious Party celebrating its 95th anniversary. On this important occasion, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, I wish all comrades, compatriots, and soldiers nationwide, and all journalists, reporters, editors, and workers abundant health, success, and a warm and happy New Year 2025 and the Lunar New Year of the Year of the Snake.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/tong-bi-thu-to-lam-bao-chi-phai-vuon-minh-cung-dan-toc-19625012022433827.htm