The launch of the 2025 Environmental Protection Communication Program, held by Kinh te and Do thi (Economic and Urban) Newspaper in cooperation with the Hanoi Department of Natural Resources and Environment on November 28, promises further efforts to address pressing environmental issues in the capital. 

The delegates perform the ceremony to launch the Environmental Protection Communication Program for Hanoi in 2025. Photos: Pham Hung/Economic and Urban Newspaper

Speaking at the ceremony, Nguyen Thanh Loi, Editor-in-Chief of Economic and Urban Newspaper and Head of the Organizing Committee of the Environmental Protection Communication Program, emphasized that the program is not just a communication campaign, but a collective mission to raise awareness and responsibility for environmental protection and adaptation to climate change.  

Attending the ceremony included Director of Hanoi's Department of Natural Resources and Environment Le Thanh Nam, heads of the city's agencies and districts, and teachers and students of Tran Phu High School in Hoang Mai District and Newton Secondary and High School; the 2024 Program's award winners, and reporters from dozens of news agencies.

According to Nguyen Thanh Loi, the 2024 Environmental Protection Communication Program included a seminar on reducing emissions by using green vehicles which attracted the participation of leading transport experts and economists discussing solutions to minimize emissions in the city.

In addition, a writing contest on environmental protection that draw 2,976 submissions nationwide, a record high and ten times higher than the figure of the first year held in 2020, indicating the public attention to the city's environmental protection. 

The competition entries focus on waste management, improving rivers and craft villages, air pollution, and environmental initiatives in Hanoi. They highlight urgent issues and responsibility, presented in modern formats like longform, eMagazines, and megastories.

Nguyen Thanh Loi, Head of the Organizing Committee and Editor-in-Chief of Economic and Urban Newspaper, speaks at the ceremony.

The 2024 Environmental Protection Communication Program awarded 16 publications with the first prize went to journalist Nguyen Quy of Economic and Urban Newspaper for the three-part series "Song Day dang bi buc tu" (Song Day River is Strangled). The series exposed serious pollution problems caused by illegal construction and waste dumping and called for practical solutions to protect the capital's iconic waterway.

Other notable submissions focused on issues such as waste sorting, improving urban water quality and combating air pollution, using modern storytelling formats such as long-form and e-magazine.

Hanoi People’s Committee Vice Chairman Nguyen Trong Dong presents the First Prize to Nguyen Quy from Economic and Urban Newspaper for the three-part series “The Day River is Being Strangled.”

Nguyen Trong Dong, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee, praised the program for translating environmental policies into actionable initiatives and fostering a collective sense of responsibility. He called on municipal departments, agencies, businesses, and Hanoi residents to continue supporting the 2025 Program and urged greater cooperation under the motto: "For a Green - Clean - Beautiful and Sustainable Capital."

He noted that in 2025, it should host a wider range of events and media initiatives to engage diverse audiences, including the public, students, organizations, and businesses. "I encourage media outlets, reporters, and journalists to continue creating impactful and insightful content that highlights environmental issues and helps deter harmful actions against the environment," Dong emphasized.

Hanoi People’s Committee Vice Chairman Nguyen Trong Dong speaks at the ceremony.

The ceremony also recognized outstanding contributions by awarding certificates of merit to exceptional collectives and individuals. In particular, schools and local communities were actively involved, demonstrating how environmental initiatives resonate with diverse groups. The organizing committee pledged to introduce more innovative activities and engage with younger audiences to spread environmental awareness throughout Hanoi.

Nguyen Van Viet Dung, an 11G0 student at Newton High School in Hanoi, shares his thoughts on the program.

With the official launch of the 2025 Program, Hanoi aims to step up its efforts and ensure that environmental protection becomes a core value deeply embedded in the city's growth and the daily lives of its residents.