Journalist Tran Lan Anh

(CLO) In these busy final days of the year, the 2024 "Journalistic Moment" Photo Award Ceremony, taking place on December 6th, is a highly anticipated professional event… In 2024, the "Journalistic Moment" Photo Award, organized by the Journalists and Public Opinion Newspaper under the direction of the Vietnam Journalists Association, has entered its 6th season. Ahead of the award ceremony, journalist Tran Lan Anh – Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Journalists and Public Opinion Newspaper and Deputy Head of the Award Organizing Committee – had a conversation about this year's event.

Each moment embodies a journey of engagement and immersion in life.

+ Madam, as the time approaches, the "Journalistic Moment" photo contest organized by the Journalists & Public Opinion Newspaper is highly anticipated to honor outstanding journalistic photographs… What makes this year's 6th edition so appealing to the public, Madam?

- Actually, the biggest attraction we want to "show off" is the quality of this year's winning photos, which are truly outstanding compared to last year. From the moment we received submissions from all over the country, the organizing committee saw the serious investment, meticulousness, creativity, and dedication of the photojournalists in overcoming difficulties and hardships while working on assignments. As expected, the responsible and reputable judges all confirmed that this year the number of photos is double, reflecting current national issues and many major events that have never before been covered by the press.

Journalist Tran Lan Anh

Along with quantity, this year's quality stands out, with many pressing issues such as floods, landslides, the national mourning for General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, and the implementation of major projects. Key national issues are all reflected in these photos. We clearly feel that each precious moment contains the dedication and immersion in life, capturing every pulse of the times through the lens of today's photojournalists.

Of course, having such good products is partly because the reporters immersed themselves in the events of the past year, and the Organizing Committee "obtained" such good products to honor, which also required considerable effort in the organization, wouldn't you agree, journalist?

- That's right. "You can't make something out of nothing," meaning hard work is necessary to achieve results. The past year has been filled with so many major events nationwide, but without the dedicated photojournalists who risked their lives at these events, many precious moments would have been missed. We are delighted that journalists and photojournalists have trusted and chosen to participate in the Journalists & Public Opinion Newspaper's competition. Many familiar faces and new reporters trying their hand for the first time have come together, bringing a wealth of diverse works that almost comprehensively reflect the typical and important events of the country.

A beautiful photograph was exhibited at the event.

Perhaps the Photo Award of the Journalists & Public Opinion Newspaper is not a major award, but with our continuous efforts in fulfilling the principles and objectives of the newspaper and the entire national press community, we remain persistent, responsible, and progressively make appropriate innovations. As the official mouthpiece of the Vietnam Journalists Association, and a newspaper always ready to collaborate with press agencies nationwide, the Award, from its inception, has spread widely within the journalistic community, with colleagues responding and participating in large numbers…

Furthermore, the Organizing Committee has continuously innovated and improved the quality of the Award, maintaining a substantial prize structure despite numerous difficulties and challenges. We are delighted to receive the enthusiastic participation of reporters and journalists from central and local media outlets nationwide. This year's submissions are double those of last year, with nearly 400 entries including single photos and photo series totaling thousands of images… This demonstrates that the "Journalistic Moment" photo contest has truly become a prestigious and attractive professional meeting point for photojournalists across the country.

The impulse of emotion awakens creativity.

+ It is known that this year's awards ceremony will also incorporate special musical performances and a very touching theme: "From heart to heart"... What message does the organizing committee want to convey through the program, Madam?

- The idea for the music actually stems from the emotions evoked by the photographs. Looking at the photographers' images, we feel like we're "reliving" the past year's journey at each "hot spot," each event; everything rushes back, as if it just happened... And this emotional impulse awakens our creativity, allowing us to build a unique musical space with the theme "From Heart to Heart."

The photographs were selected by the organizers for display at the exhibition.

This artistic program will skillfully blend contemporary dance, modern dance, and the song "The Storm," portraying a profound portrait of journalists as "Dedicated - Responsible - Courageous - Creative," with hearts full of emotion. Each journalistic work is created not only from keen observation but also from the sincere vibrations of the heart, with positive emotions and deep empathy. As Henry Luce, a renowned journalist and editor-in-chief and founder of two leading American magazines, Time and Life, once shared: "I became a journalist to get closer to the heart of humanity,"… our "journalistic moment" also aims to "ignite" that emotion in our colleagues.

+ The 2024 season has ended, and the 2025 "Journalistic Moment" season is approaching. What are the public expecting from the 7th "moment," Madam?

- Every time we successfully complete an event, every time we prepare to embark on a new journey, we always remind each other: "Today must be better than yesterday." We approach the 6th season of Journalism with confidence and are sure to welcome the 7th season with great enthusiasm… The Journalists and Public Opinion Newspaper is proud to honor our beloved colleagues after a year of hard work and hopes they will continue to innovate, continue to be creative, with a spirit of dedication and contribution, using their pens and cameras to spread positive energy in society, cultivate the people's trust in the Party's leadership; strengthen faith in the good qualities and fine traditions of the nation as well as the bright future we are striving for.

And perhaps the spotlight of a "photo op" will fade, but the core value of each photograph will remain: its humanistic value, its inspiring story, making each picture worth a thousand words…

Thank you very much, Madam!

Ha Van (compiled)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nha-bao-tran-lan-anh--pho-tong-bien-tap-bao-nha-bao-cong-luan-de-moi-khoanh-khac-co-gia-tri-hon-ngan-loi-noi-post324324.html