The newspaper also presented awards for the Rang ro ten vang (Radiant Golden Name) photo contest, and opened an exhibition showcasing the winning entries.
The event marks the 50th anniversary of Saigon-Gia Dinh officially being honored with the name of President Ho Chi Minh (July 2, 1976–2026), and it is one year after Ho Chi Minh City began operating under a two-tier local government model following administrative restructuring.
Attending the award ceremony were Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee's Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Commission Duong Anh Duc; Director General of the Ho Chi Minh City Press and Radio-Television Le Van Minh; Deputy Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee's Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Commission Tang Huu Phong; Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Journalists Association Nguyen Tan Phong; and Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports Nguyen Ngoc Hoi.
Representing Sai Gon Giai Phong (SGGP) Newspaper were Nguyen Khac Van, Deputy Director General of the Ho Chi Minh City Press and Radio-Television; Secretary of the Party Committee cum Editor-in-Chief of Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper, Head of the Organizing Committee, along with SGGP Newspaper's Deputy Editors-in-Chief.
Also in attendance were Deputy Directors General of the Ho Chi Minh City Press and Radio-Television Cao Anh Minh, Director of Ho Chi Minh City Radio and Television; and To Dinh Tuan, Director of the Training and Communications Center.
According to Editor-in-Chief of Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper, Nguyen Khac Van, the data journalism project, "50 Years of the City Named after President Ho Chi Minh – Radiant Golden Name: Remarkable Milestones," was developed based on articles contributed by former central and city leaders, experts, scientists, distinguished public figures, and intellectuals, which were published in the book titled "50 Outstanding Events and Activities of Ho Chi Minh City (1975–2025)." The volume was edited and published by Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper under the direction of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee.
Drawing on this valuable body of source material, Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper carefully selected, edited, and presented the content in a modern journalistic format, integrating advanced technology and innovative design. The project is tailored to contemporary digital news consumption trends, particularly the "tap-and-swipe" reading habits of younger audiences.
The data journalism project is not merely a digital news product but also a valuable repository of information that helps bring the city's history, culture, and achievements closer to the public, particularly younger generations. Through this project, Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper hopes to further promote the city's historical values, traditions, and achievements while fostering a stronger sense of pride, responsibility, and aspiration to contribute among every citizen to the ongoing development of Ho Chi Minh City into a more civilized, modern, and compassionate metropolis, Mr. Nguyen Khac Van added.
The data journalism project, "50 Years of the City Named after President Ho Chi Minh – Radiant Golden Name: Remarkable Milestones," is a modern, interactive digital journalism product that vividly retraces the city's journey over the 51 years since the reunification of the country and the 50 years since it was honored to bear the name of President Ho Chi Minh.
A highlight of the project is a series of five interconnected e-magazines that weave together a continuous narrative. Beginning with "From the Great Spring Victory to the City Named after President Ho Chi Minh," the project takes readers back to the days following national reunification, the establishment of the revolutionary administration, and the historic milestone when Saigon–Gia Dinh was officially renamed Ho Chi Minh City.
The narrative then continues with "Pioneering Spirit and the Path to Renewal," showcasing the city's innovative approaches and bold initiatives that emerged from practical realities. These pioneering efforts helped shape numerous policies and development models that were later adopted nationwide.
Another chapter, "A City of Humanitarian Movements," highlights the city's enduring tradition of community solidarity through initiatives such as voluntary land donations to widen alleys, programs to build gratitude houses for policy beneficiary families, support for disadvantaged people, and activities benefiting border and island communities. It also recalls remarkable medical achievements, including the world-renowned surgery that successfully separated the conjoined twins Viet and Duc.
"The Stature of a Modern Metropolis" is illustrated through a series of landmark projects, including Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone, Quang Trung Software Park, the Thu Thiem Tunnel, Metro Line No. 1, and the restoration of the Nhieu Loc–Thi Nghe Canal. Together, these transformative developments have laid the foundation for Ho Chi Minh City to emerge as a smart, innovative, and globally integrated metropolis.
In addition to the five e-magazines, the project also digitally archives 50 outstanding events and activities of Ho Chi Minh City, categorizing and organizing them into multiple layers of data to enable readers to easily search and explore the information.
Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper is prepared to package and transfer this digital resource to government agencies, organizations, and educational institutions to support the teaching and learning of Ho Chi Minh City's history and culture. Through this project, the newspaper further reaffirms its role as a steadfast companion to the city, faithfully documenting and reflecting every milestone in its development.
At the event, two collectives and three individuals from Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper were awarded Certificates of Merit by the Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee in recognition of their outstanding achievements in organizing and implementing the city's Creative Innovation Emulation Movement and Ho Chi Minh City Innovation Awards under the 2021–2025 program.
As part of the event, Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper held the award ceremony for the Rang ro ten vang (Radiant Golden Name) photo contest. Launched on June 2, the contest attracted remarkable interest, receiving 866 entries from nearly 336 photographers, photojournalists, and Vietnamese citizens living both in Vietnam and abroad within just three weeks.
According to the Organizing Committee, many of the entries reflected keen observation, professional responsibility, and a deep affection for the city. Together, they offer authentic snapshots of Ho Chi Minh City at a pivotal moment in its transformation—becoming more expansive, dynamic, people-centered, and aspirational.
These compelling and emotionally resonant images serve as valuable visual records of the city named after President Ho Chi Minh as it embarks on a new stage of development, helping to further enhance the city's distinguished legacy and celebrate its achievements in the years ahead.
Representing the judging panel, photographer Gian Thanh Son highly praised the overall quality of the competition, describing it as one of the fastest photo contests ever organized while also generating exceptional public interest. Despite its short submission period, the contest attracted high-quality entries that closely adhered to the competition criteria and vividly reflected the diverse aspects of Ho Chi Minh City's development over the past five decades.
According to him, many of the photographs not only evoked the vibrant atmosphere of the historic day when Saigon–Gia Dinh was officially renamed Ho Chi Minh City, at a time when the country was still facing numerous challenges, but also vividly portrayed the city's remarkable transformation through the lens of science and technology, landmark infrastructure projects, and its increasingly seamless connectivity with neighboring economic regions.
Above all, he noted, the entries highlighted the enduring beauty of a "city of compassion" following its merger with Ba Ria–Vung Tau and Binh Duong, a metropolis that brings together the nation's strengths and is steadily evolving into an internationally significant megacity.
Following the preliminary and qualifying rounds, 40 entries advanced to the final round. The Organizing Committee ultimately selected 30 outstanding works for the exhibition and honored 16 of the best entries with awards.
Immediately after the award ceremony, the Organizing Committee officially opened an exhibition featuring the 30 outstanding photographs in the main lobby of the Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper Professional and Cultural Center at No. 432–434, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Ban Co Ward, Ho Chi Minh City. The exhibition will run through July 7.
According to results of the Radiant Golden Name photo contest, first prize went to the artwork titled "50 Radiant Springs of the City Named after President Ho Chi Minh" by Tran Le Huy.
Second prizes belonged to "Embrace of Love" by Duong Cong Son and "Flycam Operation Training" by Pham Nhut Thuong.
Third prizes were given to "The Happy Bus" by Doan Thi Tho, "For the Peace of the Waterways" by Do Tuan Hung, and "Dream Show" by Vo Quoc Thanh.
Encouragement prizes were awarded to "Citizen-Friendly Public Administration" by Vo Hoang Trieu, "A Modern Industrial City" by Le Dinh Nhon, "Ho Chi Minh City: A Modern and Thriving Metropolis" by Tran Le Huy, "Fireworks Celebrating the City's Radiant Golden Name" by Nguyen Trang Kim Cuong, "The Graduate's Smile" by Nguyen Van Lieu, "A Bustling Petroleum Port" by Nguyen Bao Thao, "A New Day in Con Dao Special Zone" by Do Tuan Hung, "Mastering New Technologies" by Le Van Khoa, "Tam Thang Tower – Vung Tau's New Landmark" by Nguyen Minh Tan, "Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone – The Milestone that Marked the Beginning of Renewal" by Nguyen Minh Tan.
