HÀ NỘI — The International Organisation for Migration’s Chief of Mission, Park Mihyung, has announced Lê Thảo Hương as the winner of the “Migration Through My Lens” competition.

The IOM Chief of Mission made the announcement at an awards ceremony on December 18 in Hà Nội.

“I am so happy that I won,” Lê Thảo Hương said. “Through the contest, I want young people to understand that migration means stepping out of your comfort zone. We will gain new knowledge, find joy, overcome challenges and difficulties during migration.

"The migration journey also taught me to treasure small things in life and to believe in myself. You should seek information from reliable sources to make sure that you can start the journey with accurate information, empowered to make informed decisions, and protect yourself from the risks.”

The first edition of the “Migration Through My Lens” asked entrants to describe what migration means to them using their own pictures or short videos.

The competition was part of IOM’s efforts to increase interest and knowledge about migrants' rights in the lead up to the commencement of International Migrants Day (December 18).

The winners pose for a photo with the competition's organisers. Lê Thảo Hương (third from right) won the first prize. Photo courtesy of IOM

Commenting on the competition, IOM’s Chief of Mission Park explained: “We really wanted to get from the Vietnamese public their ideas on how to better promote safe, regular, and orderly migration in Việt Nam. What is it about the visual or storytelling aspect of migration that draws Vietnamese to want to learn more about the issue?

"Surprisingly, despite different backgrounds and experiences, none of the entries described migration as 'sad' or 'turbulent' but as 'hopes' and 'dreams'. We had some really strong entries which we look forward to putting into use to promote migrants’ rights in Việt Nam.”

“Congratulations to Ms Hương," Park said. "This is the first time IOM conducted this kind of competition in Việt Nam. Too often the word ‘migrant’ is associated with negative connotations, almost dehumanising at times. But at the heart of every movement, there are people. People with hopes and dreams and immense potential. So, let us not forget the great benefits migration has been bringing to our societies and that when well governed, it is always a very good thing for the world.”

The second prize winner was Trần Thế Khải, a youth from Vũng Tàu, with his short video entry on a female migrant’s journey from Mekong Delta to Hồ Chí Minh City.

The third prize went to Nguyễn Hữu Thống with his impressive photo of ethic Mông seasonal migrant workers in Hà Giang.

Nguyễn Hữu Thống's photo on ethic Mông seasonal migrant workers in Hà Giang

According to IOM’s World Migration Report 2022, there were around 281 million international migrants in the world in 2020, which equates to 3.6 per cent of the global population.

The estimated number of international migrants has increased over the past five decades. In Việt Nam, over the past decade, the country has become one of the top 20 countries in the world with the highest remittance from its international migrant workers.

According to official data on contracted overseas labour in 2021, Việt Nam has over 600,000 international migrant workers in nearly 40 countries who have sent home around US$3-4 billion of remittance every year. VNS