Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung addresses the award ceremony. (Photo: Le Phuong/VOV5)

The second online edition of Happy Vietnam received more than 10,300 submissions to “vietnam.vn” from around 270 Vietnamese and 600 foreign content creators after nearly seven months of the contest. First prizes were given to the photo “Sweet Happiness” by Vu Dieu Hoa and the video “Gia Lai - Land of Epics” by Nguyen Van Hoan.

An exhibition featuring 60 videos and 150 photos selected by the judging panel, including the award-winning works were also announced on Wednesday. Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung said the “Happy Vietnam” contest conveys a powerful message: Anyone can recognize and capture the moments that define life.

One of the two first-prize winners at the award ceremony (Photo: Le Phuong/VOV5)
“More than 10,000 entries represent more than 10,000 stories about our peaceful, beautiful, and happy Vietnam. These photos and videos, taken on just mobile phones, capture a variety of perspectives, from mountainous regions to urban centers, islands to the mainland, and people’s everyday life to the nation’s heroic moments. They reflect their creators’ interpretations of happiness and tell vivid stories about the life around us."
"Digital technology has enabled anyone to record, archive, and share the happy moments in life,” Hung said.

The contest was jointly held by the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists.