Luu Quang Dinh, journalist cum General editor of Countryside Today/Vietnamese people announces launch of the competition
The competition is a part of the commemoration series activities of 35th anniversary that the Countryside today published the first issue (May 07, 1984 – May 07, 2019).
Accompanying with THACO (Truong Hai Auto Joint Stock Company), the short story writing competition in the title “Vietnamese villages in the integration period” will be held within 2 years, starting from April, 2019 to April 2021, participants are all Vietnamese citizens at home and abroad. Submissions are short stories written in Vietnamese language, no more than 10000 words and are unpublished works on any social media or publication, not posted on website, blogs, social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, etc. of organizations or individuals. Entries are not printed with the author’ own book and general collections until the end of the competition, etc.
Poet Tran Dang Khoa – Vice president of Vietnam Writers’ Association speaks at the launching ceremony
According to the plan, the short story competition “Vietnamese villages in the integration period” will end and award in May, 2021 on the occasion of 37th anniversary of the first Countryside today publication. The organization board will award 1 first prize worth 50 million dong; 2 second prize worth 20 million dong/prize; 3 third prize worth 10 million dong/prize and 10 consolation prize worth 3 million dong/prize. In addition, the author with the most submitted works will be given the prize worth 5 million dong. The organizers also reward authors with works that responds to the high quality of the competition.
Writer Ta Duy Anh had emotional sharing regarding the competition at the launching ceremony
At the launch of the contest, Journalist Luu Quang Dinh – Editor-in-Chief of the Countryside today / Vietnamese people emphasized: Rural is a broad topic, especially in the context of the new countryside today with speedy transformation, there are many materials, many problems for the composer to exploit. Unfortunately, the fertile land seems to be neglected, when Vietnamese literature recently lacks outstanding literary works on rural topics, writers seem less and less interested in this topic. The lack of great works of literature on rural areas makes farmers not inherit culture talking about themselves, a great source of encouragement for farmers as well as the whole society lose motivation to participate in building new rural areas. So the Countryside today / Vietnamese people newspaper has the initiative to coordinate with the Vietnam Writer’s Association to organize a short story writing competition on Vietnamese rural subject called “Vietnamese villages in the integration period”, with the spirit of working together to launch a journey of composition, waking up the literary section of the countryside seems to be overslept.
Some music performance at the launching ceremony
At the launching ceremony, poet Tran Dang Khoa – Vice Chairman of Vietnam Writers’ Association, representatives of the jury confirmed: This is a very good initiative of the Countryside today / Vietnamese people Newspaper in cooperating with the Writers’ Association to organize a short story writing competition about rural areas and the farmers whose names called “Vietnamese villages in the integration period”. The contest is a way to appeal good works on countryside topic. Writing about the countryside is already the forte of writers, so I respond and believe that this competition will brings outstanding writings about rural areas and farmers.
According to the organization board, the short story writing competition “ Vietnamese villages in the integration period” aims to reflect the real life of Vietnamese agriculture and rural through periods. Honoring Vietnamese farmers, fostering the spirit of labor, promoting creativity in agriculture and rural areas as well. Protecting and enhancing the customs, culture and the beauty of Vietnamese countryside and rural areas. Criticizing the negative effects of the market economy on Vietnamese villages. Contributing to diversify and vividly add to literary life, culture and arts short stories about farmers, agriculture and rural areas. At the same time, through the contest, we also find, discover and foster the writers for the literary life of the country.
Lan Huong