The first National Press Award for Disaster Prevention and Control 2019, themed “Mitigation of losses due to natural disasters - Proactive adaptation to climate change starting from the community”, was launched in Hanoi on October 12.

At the launching ceremony of the Award 

The launch ceremony was jointly held by the Central Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control, the Ministry of Information and Communications, the Vietnam Journalists Association and the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Hoang Hiep, who is also head of the award organising committee, the organisation of the award shows the important role of information work as one of the effective solutions to raise the awareness of authorities at all levels and people of reducing disaster risks.

The award aims to honour and reward collectives and individuals who make practical contributions to communications on disaster prevention and control. It also helps raise the sense of responsibility of organisations and individuals in the work.

The award will receive entries in five types of press including print newspaper, e-newspaper, radio, television and press photo. All Vietnamese citizens, including professional and amateur reporters, with suitable works will be eligible.

The entries are those in Vietnamese published on mass media between January 1, 2019 and March 31, 2020. They must be submitted from October 12, 2019 to March 31, 2020. 

The award announcement and presentation ceremony will be held next May on the occasion of the National Week for Disaster Prevention and Control.