At the ceremony (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) – The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) held a ceremony inHo Chi Minh City on October 11 to mark the 60th anniversary of the foundationof Thong tan xa Giai Phong (Liberation News Agency, October 12, 1960-2020) - theofficial news agency of the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam- which was merged with the VNA in 1976.
At the event, Party Central Committee member and Vice State President Dang ThiNgoc Thinh presented the title “Hero of the People’s Armed Forces” to the LiberationNews Agency.
She conveyed the regards of Party General Secretary and State President NguyenPhu Trong to delegates at the ceremony as well as former reporters, techniciansand staff of the Liberation News Agency and their families on the specialoccasion.
The Vice President spoke highly of the devotion and sacrifice by soldier-journalistsof the Liberation News Agency for the revolutionary cause of the Party and nation.
She noted that on October 12, 1960, the Liberation News Agency was formed. Throughout15 years of the struggle against the US from 1960 to 1975, despite facing ahost of difficulties, the Liberation News Agency developed continuously in bothorganisation and personnel, maintaining the smooth information flow.
She also expressed gratitude to former officials, reporters, technicians andfamilies of wounded veterans and martyrs of the Liberation News Agency.
The Vice President showed her belief that the VNA will continue to develop stronglywith deep and wide cooperation with major news organisations in the world.
She said she hopes that VNA journalists will continue to promote the agency’sheroic tradition to fulfill all tasks of the soldiers in the battlefield ofculture-ideology.
VNA GeneralDirector Nguyen Duc Loi underlined that during more than 15 years of operation,the Liberation News Agency served as a witness for a glorious historic periodof the nation.
The Liberation News Agency kept the information flowrunning unceasingly, as its reporters found themselves in most southernbattlefields and provided breaking news and photos for domestic and foreignpress agencies.
More than 240 reporters and technicians of the Liberation News Agencylaid down their lives on the battlefields, making it the news agency with thelargest number of martyrs throughout the history of Vietnam’s revolutionarypress, Loi said.
The Liberation News Agency sent out its first news bulletin on October 12, 1960from Chang Riec Forest in Tay Ninh, stating in its debut announcement that “TheLiberation News Agency is the official mouthpiece and news agency of the NationalFront for the Liberation of South Vietnam, and has the duty of disseminatingnews and diverse combat experience of people all over the country, andreflecting the increasing power of the revolutionary movement as well as thecollapse of the ruling regime in the south.”
May 24, 1976, was a historical date for the revolutionary news sector, as theLiberation News Agency was merged with the Viet Nam Thong Tan Xa. On May 12,1977, Viet Nam Thong Tan Xa was renamed Thong Tan Xa Viet Nam (Vietnam NewsAgency), joining in national efforts in the new period of building anddefending socialist Vietnam.
TheVNA on this occasion organised a photo 𓆉exhibition on the heroic Liberation NewsAgency. A book featuring writings and photos of the news agency’s cor🎐respondentswas also released./.
