Rekindling love for one's homeland

The entries in the competition reflected the natural beauty, people, culture, historical traditions, economy, potential, and innovative efforts of the land and people of Lao Cai... Each entry was like a piece of a puzzle creating a larger picture titled "Lao Cai: Green, Harmonious, Distinctive, and Happy."

This is the success of the essay writing competition with the theme "For a green, harmonious, distinctive, and happy Lao Cai " in 2025, recently organized by the Lao Cai Provincial Union of Literature and Arts.

After 8 months of launching, from February to October 2025, the Organizing Committee of the competition received 67 essays from 34 authors, of which 46 high-quality works were selected for publication in the Lao Cai Literature and Arts Magazine.

The 67 works represent 67 voices, beliefs, loves, and feelings of pride for their homeland, Lao Cai – a lush, vibrant land rich in identity, revolutionary traditions, and aspirations for progress. The competition has affirmed the role of literature and art in cultural and spiritual life, spreading humanistic values ​​throughout society.

Guests and authors attending the awards ceremony for the competition.

Notable works include: "Realizing Dreams of Secure Housing" by Nguyen Tam, which vividly reflects the province's movement to eliminate temporary and dilapidated housing, linked to the spirit of "leaving no one behind" in the sustainable poverty reduction effort. The work is deeply humanistic, where the dream of "secure housing" is the foundation of happiness and sustainable development. The natural narrative style, interwoven with personal memories and experiences, makes the work both topical and artistic.

Yen Trang's work, "Spring Comes to the Mountain Homeland," is a bright and vibrant portrayal of Luc Yen during the period of renewal, praising the mountain people with their spirit of unity, determination to overcome difficulties, and aspiration for progress; reflecting the strong changes in Luc Yen in building new rural areas, especially its success in land clearance and transportation infrastructure development; and honoring the ethnic cultural identity.

The work "In a Place of Beautiful Water and Beautiful People" by author Nguyen Hien Luong beautifully portrays the nature, people, and culture of the Red Dao ethnic group in Nam Lanh. Through the author's experiences, the article expresses love and respect for the ethnic group's cultural identity.

The work "The Khmu People in Nghia Son" by author The Quynh shows the significant changes in the Khmu ethnic group in Nghia Son under the leadership of the Party and the State. The overarching message is that with the Party, the right policies, and faith, ethnic minorities can achieve sustainable development while preserving their traditional culture, contributing to the portrayal of rural mountainous areas and ethnic minorities in the era of reform. Other impressive works include: "Y Ty: The Season is Changing" by Nguyen Van Tong, "Muong Lo: Land of Ever-Flourishing Rice" by Nguyen Thi Thanh, and "Happiness at an Ethnic Minority Boarding School" by Hoang Tuong Lai.

In particular, the work "Lao Cai - Where the Source of Future Convergence Meets" by author Nguyen Van Cu is rich in documentary, emotional, and ideological value, in which the border region emerges as a symbol of vitality, resilience, and aspiration. The work affirms the strategic historical significance of the merger of the two provinces of Lao Cai and Yen Bai , viewing it as a new turning point opening up a journey of sustainable development.

The competition is not only a professional activity, but also a bridge for artists and those who love Lao Cai to express their responsibility and affection for the province's development. Each essay is a story full of emotion, contributing to encouraging spirit, spreading genuine values, and working together to build a prosperous and happy Lao Cai.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Yen - President of the Provincial Union of Literature and Arts

The competition attracted participation from many professional and amateur authors. The works featured rich content and diverse styles, with many pieces full of detail and emotion.

Author Nguyen Tam - from the Lao Cai Provincial Association of Literature and Arts - one of the two authors who won the B prize (there was no A prize), shared his feelings after the awards ceremony: “For me, the award is a great encouragement. Essay writing is a genre that demands honesty and emotion. When writing about Lao Cai, ‘green, harmonious, distinctive, and happy,’ I wrote with deep love for the land where I live and am connected. I hope the work will contribute to promoting the image of Lao Cai, rich in potential and tradition, to the public.”

The successful competition has created a ripple effect, positively impacting society, arousing love for the homeland, awareness of preserving identity, and the aspiration to build Lao Cai into a "green, harmonious, distinctive, and happy" province, true to the name and theme of the competition.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/khoi-day-tinh-yeu-que-huong-post888412.html