HÀ NỘI -- Organised by the Ministry of Information and Communications. in partnership with the Việt Nam Association of Photographic Artists, the photo and video contest Happy Việt Nam 2024 has revealed the winners. 

Minister of Information and Communications Nguyễn Mạnh Hùng, said the event was an important way to honour people across the country, overseas Vietnamese and international friends, who create photos and videos about the country and people of Việt Nam.

Open to participants from all over the world, this year’s competition attracted an impressive 10,327 entries from 6,863 contributors.

Among them were 581 international artists and 265 overseas Vietnamese, with many returning participants from the 2023 contest.

After months of careful evaluation, the judges selected 210 standout works, 60 videos and 150 photos, to be featured in the exhibition. Of these, 34 will receive prestigious awards, including gold, silver and bronze medals and consolation prizes, with the prize pool reaching more than VNĐ400 million (US$15,756).

The photo 'Sweet Happiness' by photographer Vũ Diệu Hoa won the gold medal in the photography category.

The most voted photo is 'Friendship of the Mông Young Boys' by Meynardo LB. Montealegre, Philippine Ambassador to Việt Nam.

Montealegre said the photo was taken at Lũng Cẩm Cultural Village, Mèo Vạc District, Hà Giang Province in the spring of 2024.

When coming to the village, he saw Mông boys playing, each holding a musical instrument like a real band. They were resting after hours of working to serve tourists visiting the village.

“What caught my attention was their relaxed appearance, the lively conversations, the carefree laughter and the stories that these friends were sharing, shining on their faces with innocent smiles,” he said.

In the video category, the video 'Gia Lai - Epic Land' by Nguyễn Văn Hoàn won the Gold Medal.

He said: “Gia Lai is not only an ideal destination for those who love exploration and adventure, but also a place to deeply learn about traditional cultural values ​​that have been preserved for many generations.”

The most voted work in this category was 'Check-in Vietnam - Promoting Hà Nội check-in map'.

To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Liberation of the Capital, Check in Vietnam launched a campaign to draw a star-shaped 'Check-in Hanoi Map' at five famous landmarks of the capital, including Hoàn Kiếm Lake, Hàng Đậu Tower, Hỏa Lò Prison Relic, Chương Dương Bridge and Thăng Long Imperial Citadel.

The campaign resonated particularly with youngsters in Hà Nội, with more than 600 TikTok videos shared, with nearly 70 million views, reaching more than 11 million young people.

After the ceremony, the award-winning works will be exhibited in Việt Nam and abroad to promote the country’s rich culture, vibrant people and the collective aspiration for a thriving, happy future. — VNS