Kinh te & Do thi Newspaper presents awards for Hanoi environmental writing contest
A five-year media effort on environmental protection closed in Hanoi on December 17, bringing together journalists, experts and community voices around shared environmental concerns.
THE HANOI TIMES — Environmental experts, journalists and social advocates who contributed ideas and solutions to strengthen environmental awareness across the capital received recognition.
The ceremony, held in Hanoi today (December 17), marked the fifth consecutive year that the Hanoi People’s Committee assigned Kinh te & Do thi (Economic & Urban) Newspaper to lead a long-term environmental communication program.
The first prize is presented to the winning author at the fifth “Writing on Environmental Protection in Hanoi” contest. Photos: Thanh Hai/The Hanoi Times
The initiative began as a writing contest and gradually evolved into a broader press and public forum. The program now examines Hanoi’s environmental challenges through reporting, analysis and on-the-ground perspectives.
This year’s edition unfolded amid administrative streamlining, media consolidation and growing climate pressures, which raised expectations for long-term environmental communication, said Nguyen Thanh Loi, Editor-in-Chief of Kinh te & Do thi Newspaper.
Loi, who also serves as Head of the program’s Organizing Board, said the initiative requires professional depth and wide social participation to remain effective.
Editor-in-Chief Nguyen Thanh Loi of Kinh te & Do thi Newspaper delivers his remarks at the ceremony.
“Maintaining a sustained environmental communication program that demands professional depth and broad public participation remains challenging in this context,” Loi said.
He added that close coordination among city departments, local authorities and businesses helped keep the program structured and aligned with its goals.
The second prize is presented to an outstanding entry at the fifth “Writing on Environmental Protection in Hanoi” contest.
In 2025, the program focused on two core components: a citywide environmental writing contest and a public communication series.
The communication series included a forum on “Waste classification at source: From commitment to action”, held in early November 2025 in Hoang Liet Ward.
The forum brought together experts, managers, businesses and around 300 participants. The discussions helped clarify obstacles in implementing waste classification at source across the city.
The third prize is presented to a selected entry at the fifth “Writing on Environmental Protection in Hanoi” contest.
Meanwhile, the 2025 writing contest received 3,560 submissions. The figure rose 20% from the previous year and stood nearly twelve times higher than the inaugural contest in 2020.
Contributors submitted thirty-five multi-part series, a 1.5-fold increase year on year. The growth reflected stronger investment and professionalism among contributors from central and Hanoi-based media outlets, as well as non-professional writers.
The submissions addressed issues that continue to draw public concern in Hanoi, including waste classification, collection and treatment. They also examined efforts to improve environmental conditions in rivers, lakes and craft villages, alongside green agricultural development.
Consolation prizes are presented to authors with notable contributions at the fifth “Writing on Environmental Protection in Hanoi” contest.
Many articles highlighted green transport, emission reduction and air quality improvement. Others focused on practical models and initiatives by organizations and individuals involved in environmental protection.
Waste classification at source remained a recurring theme, with many entries analyzing gaps between policy commitments and implementation at the grassroots level.
From the judging panel’s perspective, the contest showed clear progress in content quality and civic engagement.
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First-prize winner: Lai Tan, Duy Khanh and Ngoc Minh from Kinh te & Do thi Newspaper for the five-part series “Hanoi on the path to green transformation: planning, people and urban culture”. Second-place winners: Professor Hoang Xuan Co, Bui Thi Thanh Huong, journalist Nguyen Tien Nguyen, Duong Quang Son, Mai Duy Khanh and Nguyen Thi Loan from the Environmental Economics Magazine for the five-part series “Rebuilding the interregional capital environment: From strategic planning to action solutions”. Journalists Nguyen Nguyen, Duy Chanh, Hoang Son, Kim Nhue and Huu Tiep from Hanoimoi Newspaper for the five-part series “Green cities: Awakening green flows”. Third-place winners: Nguyen Dac Son, Kieu Thanh Huong and Nguyen Chi Dung from Nhan Dan Newspaper for the three-part series “Efforts to revive the To Lich River”. Do Ngoc Dat from Lao Dong Thu Do Newspaper for the four-part series “Illegal landfilling of Dam Lake: A cry from the mountains”. Tran Thi Hong Anh from the Culture Office of Hoai Duc District, Hanoi, for the article “A small house, a big message: A story from Nhue Village about an environmental initiative”. |
Kieu Thanh Hung, Standing Vice Chairman of the Hanoi Journalists Association and a member of the final judging panel, said writers increasingly treat environmental issues as topics for discussion and policy input rather than simple reflection.
“Environmental protection now invites dialogue, policy contribution and concrete action,” Hung said.
Delegates perform the launch ceremony for the 2026 environmental communication program.
He noted that many entries showed responsibility and a constructive approach from both professional journalists and community contributors.
Building on the achievements of the 2025 Environmental Protection Communication Program in Hanoi, the Organizing Board officially launched the 2026 program to further expand environmental communication efforts across the capital.
