Speaking at the launch ceremony, VNA Deputy General Director Le Quoc Minh lauded the newspaper’s initiative which aims to create a useful playground for children, especially given the popularity of games and apps on smartphones and tablets.
Images of crickets and the “Adventures of a Cricket” by writer To Hoai were part of the childhood of many generations of Vietnamese, he said.
Editor-in-Chief Le Xuan Thanh, who is also head of the Organising Board, said the award is set to promote works and arts performances by children or for children.
The award is open to entries in literature, cinema, music, fine arts, theatre, photography, comic books, and traditional or online games.
The jury will include prestigious artists involved in children’s arts, including Vice Chairmen of the Vietnam Writers Association - poet Tran Dang Khoa and writer Nguyen Quang Thieu, poet and musician Nguyen Thuy Kha, painter Thanh Chuong, director Nguyen Phi Phi Anh, and painter Le Linh.
There will be a major prize of 30 million VND (1,290 USD) presented, as well as gifts worth 10 million VND each.
The paper will present the awards to winners in September, on the occasion of the Fullmoon Festival, with works to be exhibited or performed within the framework of the award ceremony.
In his remarks, Thieu pointed to the scarcity of children’s literature as well as awards in this field, stressing that “De Men” was initiated from the hope to bring the deepest and purest spiritual life to the children.
This is not only a prize but also an attitude towards the future, the writer said.
To raise a fund for the prize, the newspaper has called on fine artists to put up their works for auction on the occasion of the award ceremony. It has also assisted art production and performance by children and for children, and organised many social activities like presenting gifts and scholarships, and building schools at disadvantaged areas.
Apart from “De Men”, the newspaper has organised many other prestigious awards like Cong hien (Devotion) Music Awards, “Bui Xuan Phai: For Love of Hanoi” Awards, and Rong Tre (Bamboo Dragon) Cup.
VNA/VNP
