A photo conveying a message of 'child protection' in the Central Highlands has won a gold medal at the Three Country Grand Circuit 2020 international photo contest. 

The black-and-white photo, taken by Ninh Manh Thang in 2020, depicts the image of Central Highlands children in the arms of a village chief.

It conveys the message of "protecting children to secure a brighter future," Thang said.

The Central Highlands is home to 6.5 million people, with ethnic minorities accounting for 45 percent of the region’s population, including the Bahnar, Jrai, Ede, and Sedang ethnic groups. However, many children are still trapped in stark poverty and suffer from poor access to education.

The photo taken by Ninh Manh Thang depicts the image of Central
Highlands children in the arms of a village chief.

"This is such a meaningful award for me that arrived right on the occasion of Vietnamese Cinema and Photography day on March 15," Thang wrote on his Facebook account.

The Three Country Grand Circuit 2020 photo contest is organized by Ireland, Montenegro and Serbia, and sponsored by the Photographic Society of America. This year's contest, the sixth of its kind, was open to both amateur and professional photographers worldwide.

Thang, a 63-year-old native of northern Ninh Binh Province, is a professional photographer and has won many awards at both domestic and international contests in recent years.