The National External Information Service Awards 2016, held by the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Popularisation and Education and the Steering Committee for External Information Service, launched its official call for submissions yesterday.— Photo ictvietnam.vn

HÀ NỘI — The National External Information Service Awards 2016, held by the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Popularisation and Education and the Steering Committee for External Information Service, launched its official call for submissions yesterday.

The awards, first held in 2014, will honor the best works either in Vietnamese or foreign languages targeting foreigners and overseas Vietnamese.

Speaking at yesterday’s press conference, Phạm Văn Linh, deputy head of the commission and head of the organisation board said that “the national award for external information service aimed to define the important role of the press service in introducing Viet Nam’s image, culture, history and Vietnamese people”.

“Besides, the service is a channel to disseminate policies and stands of the Vietnamese Government toward the regional and international issues as well as to fight against false news about the country,” he said.

The annual award offers five sets of prizes for five categories of print media, radio broadcast, television broadcast, electronic media and photography.

This year, the Commission for Popularisation and Education and the Steering Committee for External Information Service extended the scope of the awards to other fields related to foreign information and communications, including programmes, events and publications.

“Two years ago, the award was offered to press products. However, many books were also interested in by foreign readers,” said Linh.

These included books about President Hồ Chi Minh, General Võ Nguyên Giáp or Vietnamese culture, he added.

Submissions must have been published or broadcast either by domestic or international licensed press agencies between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016, according to Linh.

Submitted articles must be accurate, persuasive, influential nationally and internationally and positively appreciated by the public.

They should promote a truthful image of the country, its people, history and culture as well as domestic realities and achievements during its national construction and defence, portraying a nation of peace, stability and active international integration.

Submissions should provide accurate and in-depth information of the Party’s policies, laws and its stance on regional and international issues.

In particular, the organisation board looks for submissions that give informative value, gaining support from the international community for Viet Nam and creating favourable conditions for the country’s national defence and construction cause.

Submissions may be made by individuals or a group of persons living in or outside the country.

Submissions that have received other awards at other competitions may still enter the National External Information Service Awards 2016, but information of the prize type, the competition’s organising board and time frame must be included in the submission dossier.

Each category consists of first, second, third and fourth prizes. The awards presentation ceremony will take place in May next year.

The Radio Voice of Viet Nam will chair the competition.

The competitions in 2014 and 2015 were chaired by the Vietnam News Agency and Vietnam Television, respectively. – VNS