Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Đức Đam at the congress of the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists on October 12. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Tùng

HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese photography has made many significant contributions to the development of Việt Nam as well as the cause of constructing and defending the nation, said Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Đức Đam at the congress of the Việt Nam Association of Photographic Artists (VAPA).

The VAPA congress, 9th term (2020-2025), took place in Hà Nội on Monday, gathering nearly 500 delegates who are photographers from the associations of photography nationwide.

Addressing the event, the Deputy Prime Mimister acknowledged and praised the important achievements and contributions of the association throughout the development of the country.

“From around 30 members since President Hồ Chí Minh’s decision to establish the national enterprise of cinema and photography in March 15, 1953, the number has increased to tens of thousands working in almost all fields across the country,” he said.

According to the Deputy PM, Việt Nam’s revolutionary photography has created an extremely valuable history of the country and people of Việt Nam in combat and at work that helps to spread the good values ​​of Vietnamese people both within the nation and to the world.

“Every period and every milestone of the country is accompanied by photographers. In particular, generations of photographers during the resistance wars, who were also historical witnesses, took cameras to the battlefield like soldiers holding guns to capture the solemn images of our army and people who were fighting for independence, freedom and unification of the country. Many artists died on the battlefields and left behind valuable photographic works that live forever with time,” he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Đam expressed his belief that VAPA would continue to strongly innovate and perfect the organisational model and improve its high-quality operation in the years to come.

The deputies at the congress proposed the directions for the association, which focused on further innovation of photography, improvement of professional skills and intensive consultancy for members in creating high quality works.

Deputy director of the Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibition under the culture ministry, Trần Thị Thu Đông, was elected as the President of VAPA (2020-2025). — VNS