Hanoi (VNA) – Photographer Tran Tuan Viet has been named as winner of the National & Regional Award category at the Sony World Photography Awards 2024.
His photo features the Buddha statue on the peak of Ba Den Mountain in the southwestern🔜 province of Tay Ninh. It was captured at dawn in October 2023.
Viet’s photo was among 11 shortlisted from 415,000 entries taken by more than 74,000 photographers from 206 countries and territories worldwide, becoming the only Vietnamese representative to be on the list.
The winning works are scheduled to be displayed at Somerset House in London, the UK, in April.
The inauguration of the giant Maitreya Buddha statue on Ba Den Mountain adds a new endless inspiration for photographers.
The beauty of Ba Den Mountain has "caused a fever" in international media, when some famous newspapers and magazines with large readerships such as BBC, Daily Mail, The Mirror, Daily Record, Euronews and The Times praised and ranked the photo the first in the list of award-winning works. Twelve hours after posting on BBC's Instagram platform, the picture of Ba Den received more than 40,000 likes.
“This spectacular image shows Ba Den Mountain, shrouded in mist. With an elevation of 3,268ft (996m), the peak, which resembles an upside-down bowl, is the tallest in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta,” wrote the Daily Mail.
A photo taken by Tran Tuan Viet shows a Buddha statue stands amid clouds on Ba Den Mountain in Tay Ninh Province also won "honourable mention" at the annual International Monochrome Photography Awards.
According to The Times, the highlight of the picture is the image of the tallest bronze Buddha statue in Asia located on the mountain peak amid clouds.
Dubbed the roof of southern Vietnam♎, the mountain is home to a number of Buddhist pagodas and temples that attract millions of tourists annually./.
The southwestern province of Tay Ninh will allow tourists to visit Ba Den Relic Complex without paying entrance fees from January 1 to December 31 next year, according to Truong Van Hung, Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Unique, not-so-busy destinations imbued with indigenous identities or pristine nature are key to domestic tourists for 2022. Up to 80 percent of Vietnamese tourists, when surveyed, said they will take a vacation to make up for what the COVID-19 pandemic has deprived them of.
The Bodhisattva statue on Ba Den Mountain in Tay Ninh province has set two records - the tallest bronze Bodhisattva statue in Vietnam and the tallest bronze Bodhisattva statue situated on mountain in Asia.
Lying in the middle of a fertile plain, Ba Den Mountain covered with white clouds nearly year-round is one of three mountains in the Ba Den Mountain Relic and Cultural complex, which comprises Ba Den Mountain at a height of 986 metres above sea level, Phung (Phoenix) Mountain and Heo (Pig) Mountain.
Tourism continues to be a bright spot in the southwestern province of Tay Ninh’s economic growth panorama this year, showing impressive development with increases logged in both the number of visitors and revenue.
According to Ben Tre authorities, the province will continue to strengthen IUU fishing prevention by enforcing central directives and enhancing public awareness and compliance among local fishing communities.
Trial operations at the new public administrative service centres in Thanh Khe and Ngu Hanh Son wards show that the reception and processing of citizens' documents on the new wards’ data system have been smoothly handled by the staff, enabling quick settlement and facilitating easy access to public services for the people.
The event, the 12th of its kind jointly, was jointly organised by the Vietnamese Embassy in Belgium and Chris Geyskens, Chairwoman of the Belgium chapter of the Hoi An – Vietnam Association for Victims of AO/Dioxin.
The Nguyen Du Lao-Vietnamese bilingual school has positioned itself as a prestigious education establishment, nurturing generations of Vietnamese and Lao students while preserving Vietnamese culture and language as well as strengthening the special bonds between the two countries
For households of people with meritorious service and relatives of fallen soldiers, the province supported the construction and renovation of 2,374 houses, achieving 100% of the set target, 342 newly built and 2,032 renovated.
Held under the theme “Pride and Aspiration”, this year's “Glory to Vietnam” programme aimed to inspire the Vietnamese people's ambition to reach new heights during the era of integration and development.
According to the Central Committee of the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRC), this year’s campaign provided long-term aid for 3,785 individuals and organisations. Support included houses, clean water systems, school meal facilities, books, and livelihood assistance, with a total value of more than 118 billion VND.
The programmes have brought about positive changes to rural infrastructure, comprehensively improved the material and spiritual lives of farmers, and contributed to Vietnam's economic restructuring, said PM Pham Minh Chinh.
The festival highlighted the contributions and robust development of Vietnam's revolutionary press over the past century while promoting press products and showcasing the creativity of Vietnamese journalists.
The programme on sustainable poverty reduction has achieved its annual targets for reducing the poverty rate as assigned by the National Assembly and the Government. It has fulfilled five specific objectives and five five-year goals, and met nine out of 12 indicators related to addressing basic social service shortages.
UNICEF stands ready to support the Government in implementing this important law and in continuing to invest in teachers as the cornerstone of a resilient, inclusive, and high-quality education system for all children.
PM Pham Minh Chinh highlighted how Vietnam's revolutionary press has continuously evolved and strengthened over the past century, affirming its role as a sharp and vital political, cultural, and ideological weapon serving the Fatherland and the people in the glorious revolutionary cause of the Party.
Vietnamese Consul General in Fukuoka Vu Chi Mai highlighted the growing demand for Vietnamese workers in Kyushu, especially in Fukuoka, Oita, and Saga prefectures. Currently, the region employs about 35,000 Vietnamese manual workers and over 5,000 IT engineers.
In Vietnam’s case, she said, President Ho Chi Minh demonstrated his strategic vision by founding the revolutionary press a century ago. The late leader understood the press's role not only as a means to reflect the country’s realities but also as a powerful tool to strengthen national unity and inspire the resistance wars and national construction process.
In recent interviews granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s reporters in Mexico, prominent figures reflected on the press’s legacy and its global influence.
VietnamPlus e-newspaper of the VNA clinched an A prize in the “Outstanding Press Product” category for its immersive 3D multimedia project, “Epic of Reunification,” a groundbreaking blend of storytelling and technology. The VNA won another A prize for its eye-catching exhibition booth.
Today, the press for foreign service has evolved into a distinct, irreplaceable force, bridging Vietnam with the world and portraying a nation that is stable, peace-loving, and fully integrated into the international community.
At a review conference held on June 21, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Van Sinh praised the province’s scientific, coordinated, and flexible approach. He noted that the early completion reflects the strong commitment of local authorities, the business community, philanthropists, and residents in improving housing conditions for disadvantaged groups.
The VNA delegation, led by General Director Vu Viet Trang, actively participated in the event, engaging in both professional and diplomatic activities.
The winning photo of Tran Tuan Viet. 
The inauguration of the giant Maitreya Buddha statue on Ba Den Mountain adds a new endless inspiration for photographers. 
A photo taken by Tran Tuan Viet shows a Buddha statue stands amid clouds on Ba Den Mountain in Tay Ninh Province also won "honourable mention" at the annual International Monochrome Photography Awards. 
