Deputy Minister Lê Hải Bình speaks at the launch event on Thursday. — Photo courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam has launched the third edition of its 'Happy Vietnam' media award, inviting people from all walks of life, at home and abroad, to capture and share moments of happiness as part of a nationwide effort to celebrate national pride and promote the country’s human rights progress.

Organised annually by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the award is open to professional and amateur participants, including foreign nationals, aged 15 and above. It features two main categories: photography and video.

This year’s contest continues to focus on submissions that reflect meaningful aspects of life in Việt Nam, with organisers encouraging entries that highlight the country’s culture, people, natural beauty and development achievements.

Entries can be submitted at https://happy.vietnam.vn. Photo submissions must be in JPEG format, with a minimum width or height of 3,000 pixels. Video entries must be in MP4 format, no longer than five minutes long and no larger than 500MB.

Each category will award a top prize of VNĐ50 million (US$1,900), with two second-place winners receiving VNĐ30 million ($1,150) each, and three third-place winners taking home VNĐ15 million ($575) apiece.

To recognise broader participation, ten consolation prizes of VNĐ5 million ($190) will also be awarded.

There will also be an Audience Choice Award, worth VNĐ5 million, for the most popular entry based on public votes. Additionally, a VNĐ20-million Creative Award will be given in each category to the most original and creatively presented submission.

Winning entries will be featured at a televised ceremony and may be considered for further recognition by the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists.

Speaking at the launch event on Thursday, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Lê Hải Bình said the award encourages reflection on the meaning of happiness, not just as a personal feeling, but as something deeply connected to collective pride and national identity.

"What is happiness?" Bình asked, referencing the diary of war martyr Nguyễn Văn Thạc, who once wrote that he would explain the meaning of happiness on April 30, 1975 - the very day of Việt Nam's National Reunification.

Thạc, however, died three years before that date, on July 30, 1972. "For people like him, happiness meant national independence and reunification, or simply being able to return home to one’s mother," Bình explained.

Bình said the award aims to remind people that happiness already exists in their lives, even if they have not noticed it. He recalled international visitors telling him that Việt Nam possesses something many nations long for: peace, independence and a sense of calm.

"Happiness, no matter how personal, must be tied to a sense of pride in our country," he said. "Through this award, we want people to realise what they have and to appreciate it."

Deputy Minister Lê Hải Bình reviews some of the most impressive entries from the 2024 competition. — VNS Photo Lê Việt Dũng

He also spoke of gratitude as a deeply valuable emotion - gratitude for peace, for the sacrifices of past generations, and for the leadership of the Communist Party.

"Our Party has only one objective," he said, quoting late President Hồ Chí Minh, "and that is the happiness of the people." — VNS