Ensuring social welfare remains a top priority for Hanoi alongside economic development, as the city strives to ensure no one is left behind.

Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Manh Quyen at the event. Photos: Khanh Huy/The Hanoi Times

“This commitment has resulted in significant and commendable achievements,” stated Nguyen Manh Quyen, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee, at the awards ceremony for the “Unsung Heroes” communication campaign on December 3. The event was jointly run by the Economic & Urban Newspaper and ActionAid Vietnam.

Quyen commended the organizers for turning the competition into the “Unsung Heroes” communication program for 2024,  thus raising its profile with numerous notable events and fresh elements.

“This initiative has contributed to raising community awareness about ensuring workers' rights, particularly in the context of the digital economy and climate change, with the aim of building a safer and more sustainable society. It also strongly supports the rights of vulnerable groups, including ethnic minority youth, and expands the network of journalists focusing on social welfare issues,” Quyen said.

For the 2024 “Unsung Heroes” competition, the organizers introduced a new award category for amateur authors. This edition has enriched the contest by incorporating diverse perspectives from everyday life, uncovering and celebrating the silent contributions of individuals and groups. These efforts promote initiatives that ensure decent work for workers, disseminate legal information to employers in industrial parks, clusters, and craft villages, and implement solutions to improve conditions for female workers and people with disabilities, helping them achieve stability in their lives.

Editor-in-Chief of the Economic & Urban Newspaper and Head of the Organizing Committee Nguyen Thanh Loi.

“I believe that the 'Unsung Heroes' competition is profoundly meaningful as it highlights exemplary individuals and commendable actions within the community. This recognition motivates workers, particularly women, to continue contributing to the development of the capital and the nation. Building on the success of the 2024 competition, I hope the organizers will effectively implement the 'Enhancing the Impact of the Unsung Heroes Communication Program 2025–2027' project through even more impactful and meaningful events,” emphasized Quyen.

Speaking at the event, Nguyen Thanh Loi, Editor-in-Chief of the Economic & Urban Newspaper and Head of the Organizing Committee, highlighted that besides publishing print and online newspapers and specialized sections, the medium has been actively engaged in numerous communication activities in recent years. On average, the newspaper organizes over 10 programs annually, including the "Unsung Heroes" initiative.

"Over the past four seasons, 'Unsung Heroes' has evolved from a competition to a communication program, establishing its unique brand and becoming a distinctive feature of the Economic and Urban Newspaper. It has attracted both professional and amateur journalists," Loi said.

At the ceremony, representatives from various departments and the Organizing Committee awarded prizes to individual and group authors, both professional and amateur. The event was particularly notable for the presence of many finalists from provinces such as Long An, Dong Nai, Nghe An, and Lao Cai.

Second-prize winner Dang Hoang An at the event.

One of the second-prize winners in the amateur category, Dang Hoang An, who uses a wheelchair, traveled from Long An to Hanoi to attend the ceremony. Sharing his thoughts, An said, "I have been using a wheelchair for over eight years, but I just move a little slower than others. Since December 3 is the  International Day of Persons with Disabilities, I was determined to be here to help raise  awareness about social welfare issues."

An said that the subject of his article, Nguyen Thi Sari, is a disabled swimmer who has overcome adversity to excel in life. Despite being rejected by many employers due to her disability, she pursued higher education and became a competitive swimmer, winning numerous medals for the Vietnamese team. Sari has also contributed to her community by offering free English classes to the children of street vendors and lottery sellers in her area.

"By chance, I met Sari and was deeply inspired by her story. I learned about the 'Unsung Heroes' competition's amateur category and saw it as an opportunity to share the story of someone who has overcome challenges and contributed significantly to society," An expressed.

Dr. Dinh Thi Xuan Hoa, Deputy Director of the Institute of Journalism and Communication, said, "The topic of social welfare for workers is highly specialized and challenging. To engage amateur authors, particularly students, schools need to promote this competition more extensively on their platforms. I hope the Organizing Committee will deepen their collaboration by offering short courses to help students explore this complex topic. In the current digital transformation era, universities will leverage these opportunities to enable students to produce modern, high-quality journalism on social welfare."