Continuing the passion for the profession from the previous generation.

Assigned to the research project "Learning the Trade from a Veteran Journalist," I pondered for a long time about who I would meet. Then, suddenly, I remembered someone I was fortunate enough to accompany three years ago during a training trip to Dak Lak province. That was journalist Nguyen Phan Dau. That brief encounter left a lasting impression on me regarding his work ethic, passion, and valuable stories about his life and career. And this time, I sought him out as a mentor to learn more about the profession.

The mark of a lifetime of writing.

On Monday morning, I called journalist Nguyen Phan Dau. His warm, friendly voice on the other end of the line dispelled all my worries. Less than an hour later, I was at his home in Can Duoc commune, Tay Ninh province. My first impression wasn't of his achievements or accolades, but rather of the atmosphere steeped in a lifetime of journalistic experience.

On the walls are dozens of certificates and awards for winning works, stained with the passage of time. These seemingly ordinary pieces of paper mark a journey of more than 20 years of diligent journalistic work.

Journalist Nguyen Phan Dau

Walking through the house, I felt like I was visiting a miniature "journalism museum." From provincial and ministerial-level journalism awards to awards from central press agencies; from commendations from the Provincial People's Committee to certificates for outstanding works. Reflecting thoughtfully on his journey, he just smiled kindly and said that he no longer remembered how many award-winning works he had.

In another small corner, he carefully preserved his old cameras from the time he started his career; some were faded, some the camera bags worn and tattered with age, but all were neatly arranged like close companions in his journalistic life. On his computer screen, the manuscript of his short story titled "The Crane" remained unfinished. He said he was editing the final lines to submit it to the Literature and Arts Magazine next month.

Few people know that before becoming a journalist, journalist Nguyen Phan Dau was a promising engineer. He passed the entrance exam to Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology with the 5th highest score in the entire school and was selected to study abroad in Bulgaria in 1986, majoring in Refrigeration Technology.

Upon returning to Vietnam, he began constructing the Long An Seafood Freezing Plant. With his management skills, he quickly rose to the position of director of the enterprise, which employed over 1,000 workers, transforming it into one of the province's leading businesses at that time.

In 2005, a major turning point came in his life when he decided to switch to journalism. From a business manager, he began pursuing his passion and dedicated himself to journalism in various roles such as Head of the Reporter Department at Long An Newspaper; Editorial Secretary at Ho Chi Minh City Law Newspaper; and reporter for Lao Dong Newspaper covering the three provinces of Long An, Tien Giang, and Ben Tre (formerly).

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Thanks to his efforts and professional experience, in 2013 he was appointed Head of the Lao Dong Newspaper's representative office in the Mekong Delta region and worked there until his retirement in 2021. After that, he continued to collaborate with Lao Dong Newspaper until 2025. Currently, he serves as the Head of the Editorial Board of the Tay Ninh Literature and Arts Magazine, under the Tay Ninh Provincial Association of Literature and Arts.

Not only successful in journalism, he is also a member of the Vietnam Association of Stage Artists with numerous literary, theatrical, and traditional folk song and music works. A play broadcast on VTV3, a drama produced by HTV, a Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera) performance, along with dozens of traditional folk songs and music pieces, are testaments to the enduring creativity of this writer. In his journalistic career, he has won many prestigious awards, including the National Journalism Award in 2009; the Ministry/Department Journalism Award in 2019; First Prize in the journalism competition jointly organized by Nhan Dan Newspaper, Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper, and Quan Doi Nhan Dan Newspaper; and more than 20 awards from major media organizations, as well as numerous commendations from the Provincial People's Committee.

Keep the passion for journalism alive with the heart of a journalist.

What I remember most after the conversation wasn't the impressive achievements, but the passion for the profession that was always present in the eyes of this journalist who had gone through many ups and downs.

He recounted that he entered journalism purely out of passion. “I came to journalism out of passion, even though I was trained in a different field. It was from that passion, along with diligent self-study, learning from friends, and learning from those who came before me, that I gradually matured and have dedicated myself to journalism for the past several decades,” he said. Speaking about journalism today, he believes young reporters are facing more pressure than before. While in his time, journalists mainly focused on writing compelling articles, today they have to compete with social media, face time constraints, view counts, and many other demands.

He shared: "In my time, I could dedicate a lot of time to a topic, making the work truly thorough and valuable. Now, even a slight delay is enough for information to spread everywhere on social media. Journalists now face much more pressure than before."

However, according to him, the core essence of journalism remains unchanged regardless of the circumstances. "No matter what impact, difficulties, or pressure there is, we must strive to keep the passion for the profession alive and live fully for journalism. The most important thing is to produce good work, with valuable topics, and through our work contribute to making society better," he added.

Journalist Nguyen Phan Dau keeps many certificates of merit and awards as mementos of his professional life.

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In his stories, I heard the phrase "heart" many times. That's also the message he wanted to convey to the younger generation of journalists. Journalism requires careful attention to every word; everything written and published must be considered in light of social responsibility. Journalists must maintain self-respect and honesty towards their readers.

The conversation ended as the last rays of midday sun streamed through the window. On his desk, the manuscript of the short story remained unfinished. Perhaps, for journalist Nguyen Phan Dau, retirement is merely a milestone of age, while the journey of creativity and dedication never ceases. Leaving his small home, what remained was not only the materials for the article but also profound lessons about the responsibility, integrity, and ethics of a writer.

Amidst the ever-changing landscape of modern journalism, his words still resonate: "Keep the passion for the profession alive and put your heart first!"

Tra Long

Source: https://baotayninh.vn/tiep-them-lua-nghe-tu-the-he-truoc-148962.html