When kindness is spread

Over five seasons, the "Living Beautifully" contest organized by Thanh Nien Newspaper has truly become a bridge connecting people, where stories, role models, and humane deeds are shared and spread.

This year, the "Living Beautifully" contest, themed " The Miracle of Compassion," attracted nearly 700 entries in various genres such as short stories, reports, essays, notes, and photo albums, with 246 entries published in print and on Thanh Nien Online . With its humanitarian purpose of seeking and honoring exemplary individuals who serve the community, the contest resonated with people of all ages. The youngest author was 12 years old, and the oldest was 73.

In the six months since its launch, the "Living Beautifully" contest has created a meaningful journey. Each entry and each person featured not only serves as a shining example but also contributes to spreading positive messages, so that everyone believes that kindness and compassion still exist in simple ways in life.

The image of teacher Tran Ngoc Diep in the work "The Miracle of Compassion": "A good soldier" in everyday life.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE SUBJECT

It could be the journey of young people finding joy in caring for a fragile life in "A Miracle for Gold" by Tran Thi Tu Ngoc; or the heartwarming moments witnessing the radiant smiles of children receiving free meals from the women in the "From the Heart" Charity Kitchen by Anh Jour. Sometimes, viewers are moved by the portraits of divers tirelessly restoring dying coral reefs in "Saving Coral, Bringing Life Back to the 'Forest at the Bottom of the Water'" by Trung Dao. Or the admiration for the courageous journey of teacher Tran Ngoc Diep overcoming life's losses to bring literacy to children in the entry "The Miracle of Compassion: 'Good Soldiers' in Everyday Life" by Dang Hoang An.

Author Tran Van Vuong shared that he had known about the "Living Beautifully " contest in previous years. This year, he submitted the work "The Teacher Sowing 'Sweetness' on Saline Land ," which tells the story of Ms. Dao Thi Thanh An, Vice President of the Women's Union of the commune, who has dedicated almost her entire life to bringing literacy and hope to countless people. "As someone who has traveled and experienced much, I've had the opportunity to meet many ordinary people who carry extraordinary stories. They live quietly, giving without expecting recognition. I always believe that the 'Living Beautifully' contest organized by Thanh Nien Newspaper is the place for such stories to be told, spread, and touch the community," the author shared.

Tô Khuyên is a journalism student. While working on her project for the course "Interviewing and Specialized Journalism related to the environment," she searched for and learned about Sasha Shakhov. After proactively contacting him for an interview and participating in several litter cleanup sessions, she realized his story was incredibly inspiring. This led to the creation of her entry, "The Russian Boy Who 'Cleans Up Trash to Live a More Meaningful Life'," which impressed readers of Thanh Nien Newspaper.

Images from the "From the Heart" Charity Kitchen contest.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE SUBJECT

"When I learned about the 'Living Beautifully' contest, I decided to submit this story with the hope of spreading it more widely. Sasha's story made me believe that in the context of increasingly serious environmental pollution, each individual and community needs to be more responsible. And it is these small, persistent actions that will create lasting change," To Khuyen shared.

Beauty is found in the ordinary.

Author Tran Van Vuong believes that the theme "The Miracle of Compassion " that the "Living Beautifully" contest aims for is a very profound message, true to the spirit of the times. According to him, living beautifully and compassionately is not something grand or far-fetched, but begins with small actions: perseverance, unwavering dedication, or simply choosing to live for others. It is these seemingly ordinary things, when nurtured long enough and with sufficient sincerity, that will create miracles.

Writer Phan Hon Nhien, a member of the final round judging panel, said that with the unique strengths of each genre, the 5th season of the "Living Beautifully" competition presented a multifaceted and compelling picture, both in terms of identifying issues, awakening emotions, and inspiring action. "Each page, each image in the submitted works is a slice of real life, giving us the opportunity to once again look closely and feel the beauty present within the simple, quiet, and sometimes forgotten things. It is this vibrant and authentic quality of life that gives depth to the award," the judging panel representative shared.

Beyond the scope of a journalistic activity, the "Living Beautifully" contest has become a bridge connecting people. Speaking about the contest's reach, author Tô Khuyên expressed surprise at its widespread impact. "I hope that in future seasons, 'Living Beautifully' will spread even further, continue to attract more quality entries, and tell more inspiring stories," she stated.

THIS MORNING, THE AWARD CEREMONY FOR THE "LIVING BEAUTIFULLY " SEASON 5 CONTEST WILL BE HELD.

After two rounds of judging, from nearly 700 entries, the jury of the 5th season of the "Living Beautifully" contest, themed "The Miracle of Compassion," selected outstanding essays, heartwarming stories, and photo series that speak louder than words, inspiring a sense of responsibility towards the community… to award prizes.

Every month, footballer Tien Linh regularly donates 1 ton of rice to help cook meals for the Bach Mai Zero-Cost Canteen (near Bach Mai Hospital, Hanoi ).

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE SUBJECT

Along with the articles, five individuals with profound compassion and inspiring examples of kindness, loyalty, and humanity were selected from the competition to be honored. These include Nguyen Tien Linh (the subject of the article "The Golden Heart of a Football Player " by Hong Minh), who "shed his role" as a famous football player and returned to everyday life, continuing his philanthropic journey. Over the years, he has contributed significantly in terms of money and effort to meaningful community activities not only in Binh Duong (formerly), where his family lives, but also in many other localities across the country. Another example is architect Nguyen Xuan Thang, whose quiet journey of tracing the traces of war to restore the names of the deceased and bring joy to their families ( A Journey Without End - Nguyen Vu Dien). These include the disabled teacher Tran Ngoc Diep, who has silently dedicated 17 years to education , a devoted ferryman and a guiding light, quietly illuminating the lives of disadvantaged children ( The Miracle of Compassion: "Good Soldiers" in Everyday Life" - Dang Hoang An); Le Quoc Trung, a "Doctor" in the hearts of the people , as the title of the article by author Dao An Duyen suggests; and teacher Dao Thi Thanh An, with countless classrooms in the Cai Doi Vam river region ( Ca Mau ) for over 10 years, along with her "students" aged 70 and 80... ( The Teacher Sows "Sweetness" on Salty Land - Tran Van Vuong).

Ms. Dao Thi Thanh An guides her "students" in doing their homework.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE SUBJECT

Season 5 of Living Beautifully also marks the first time the competition has added an award for Outstanding Environmental Writing. This category received numerous entries, ranging from feature articles and essays to photo series, demonstrating the community's responsibility towards the pressing environmental issues of today.

During the closing ceremony and awards presentation (taking place at 9:00 AM today, December 18th, at the Thanh Nien Newspaper headquarters in Ho Chi Minh City, and broadcast live on digital platforms: thanhnien.vn; Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok Thanh Nien Newspaper), readers will have the opportunity to interact with the award-winning authors and honored individuals, as well as hear the competition's judges (writer Cao Viet Quynh, photographer Le Xuan Thang, etc.) share interesting insights from their experience with the competition.

Thien Anh

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/khi-long-nhan-ai-duoc-lan-toa-185251217235337381.htm