• Mr. Ngo Minh Hien, Deputy Director General of Voice of Viet Nam;
• Ms. Pham Thu Hang, Director General a.i, Viet Nam Administration of Seas and Islands;
• Mr. Nguyen Que Lam - Director of the Department of External Information and International Cooperation, the Party’s Central Committee for Propaganda and Training;
• Mr. Ngo Van Hai, Editor in Chief, VTC News E-Newspaper;
• Mr.  Nguyen Duc Loi, Vice Chairman of Vietnam Journalist Association;
• Colleagues from Thai Embassy to Viet Nam, WWF-Viet Nam;
• Ladies and gentlemen,

A very good afternoon and xin chào.

I am delighted to be here today and to welcome you to the Viet Nam Press Award Ceremony and the ASEAN photo contest on Mitigating Marine Plastic Debris. Let me start by thanking the Voice of Viet Nam (VOV), Viet Nam Administration of Seas and Islands (VASI), VTC News E-Newspaper (VTC) and WWF Viet Nam for your collaboration in organizing this event.

Plastic has no borders. Plastic pollution is damaging our planet, our livelihood and our health. Along with other ASEAN countries, Vietnam has been ranked among the largest producer of marine plastic waste in the world.

So how should we respond?

We all share a responsibility to rid our oceans & landscapes of plastic waste. Actions and solutions to combat plastic pollution are already taking shape in many countries around the world, and Viet Nam is well placed to be at the very center of the fight.

I would like to commend the good efforts of the Government of Viet Nam, ministries and sectors, with a number of important policies such as National Action Plan for Marine Plastic Litter, and most recently the country’s active participation and negotiation for an international legal biding instrument to end plastic pollution.

An important element in the fight is raising awareness and promoting behavior change. Consumers can make small changes in their consumption patterns and say no to single use plastic. These small and easy commitments can have great impacts. Accordingly, the press and photos can transfer the messages effectively.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Today marks the second year of Viet Nam Press Award and the scale up of the Photo Contest to the regional (ASEAN) level.

We see the importance of these activities because:

First, the Press Award is a chance to significantly increase media coverage on plastic pollution. There have been 312 articles from 70 media agencies during the past two months alive. Through the Award, journalists are able to improve their skills, have better understanding of the root causes of plastic problem and better raise awareness of communities on plastic pollution.

Second, the ASEAN Photo Contest not only aims to raise awareness about plastic pollution issues but also promote collective actions and connect ideas among ASEAN citizens to combat marine plastic pollution.

And lastly, today’s Ceremony allow us to acknowledge the contribution of journalists, reporters and photographers who have been active in conveying messages for our long-term fight again plastic pollution and marine debris. Congratulations to all!

Ladies and gentlemen,

In closing, I would like to express my appreciation to the Norwegian Embassy for its financial support as well as the VOV, VASI, VTC and WWF for your close collaboration in protecting oceans, reducing waste, improving the livelihood of the most vulnerable, and engaging local and regional partners in sustainable development.

I wish you all good health, happiness, and success.

Thank you! Xin cảm ơn!