Following in the footsteps of journalist Hai Trieu: Nurturing the will to continue his father's career

MORE FINDINGS NEEDED

On a rainy day in Hue, I met poet Nguyen Khoa Diem (former member of the Politburo, Secretary of the 9th Party Central Committee, Head of the Central Ideology and Culture Department) in the house in Vy Da, where revolutionary journalist Hai Trieu lived with his beloved family during his lifetime. At the age of 82, despite his poor health, poet Nguyen Khoa Diem is still very clear-headed and speaks humbly "very Hue". He said that he was not able to be close to his father much because journalist Hai Trieu soon left to fight against French colonialism. "Because I did not have direct contact with him, like other students, I read documents, books and newspapers, plus stories from relatives, I understood his life and then I learned," said Mr. Diem.

Poet Nguyen Khoa Diem signed books for the writer

PHOTO: HOANG SON

Poet Nguyen Khoa Diem said that Dr. Pham Hong Chuong was the person who collected the most and earliest documents about journalist Hai Trieu. He tried hard to learn about his father's life and career, "digging up more documents about him but there were few because the libraries did not have many". "Previously, Mr. Pham Hong Chuong and Mr. Chu Giang wrote about him. I met him and added a few more articles. I also collected a few more of his articles but they were scattered. I hope that agencies and researchers have time to accumulate them, because I am also an amateur so I cannot research more deeply about his life and revolutionary career", Mr. Diem shared.

The book Hai Trieu Complete Works printed in 2014 was supplemented with many documents by poet Nguyen Khoa Diem.

PHOTO: HOANG SON

Mr. Nguyen Khoa Diem said that 10 years ago, the Central Propaganda Department and his family organized a conference to mark the 60th anniversary of Hai Trieu's death. At that time, Mr. Diem attended and found that the number of documents was not much. The conference was meaningful but only at the level of acknowledging contributions, not analyzing and synthesizing deeply about Hai Trieu's career. Because of limited documents, each person attending the conference felt that they could not say more and only briefly mentioned their views and opinions about Hai Trieu. "I think that to have more information about him, we need to research and discover more," Mr. Diem said.

B MODERN JOURNALISM NEEDS BIG NAMES

Poet Nguyen Khoa Diem said that as the son of a revolutionary father who fought in the resistance war, he always thought about the previous generations and the previous generations like his father when he was at home and at school. "He was both a relative and a revolutionary, so I was also aware that I would follow in the footsteps of my predecessors. Honestly, that was a great source of personal encouragement that made me always try to practice, study, and nurture the will to continue the career of my predecessors. That is true in my heart," Mr. Diem confided.

Sharing more about the Party and State's recognition of his father's contributions to the revolutionary journalism career, poet Nguyen Khoa Diem expressed his gratitude when the National Political Publishing House printed the complete Hai Trieu (2014), or was recognized by the Central Propaganda Department through a conference with many research articles, and had streets named after him by localities... In particular, referring to the Hue City journalism award, he said that the city respected his father when naming the award Hai Trieu. "I consider it an honor for the family. I am very grateful," said Mr. Diem.

"As the former head of the Central Committee for Ideology and Culture, what do you think about the Hai Trieu Journalism Award?", I asked. Poet Nguyen Khoa Diem said that the award "does not have much resonance" at present, so he hopes that the organizing committee will try to make the award a truly good and attractive journalism activity, from which the award will achieve achievements. "In reality, it is still a journalism activity. Sometimes the award is just normal but it makes the whole country know about it. People read the articles, people like the contributors, so they will come to any award, not because of the name. I also hope that today's press will have big names. Hai Trieu or Dam Phuong nu su (Mr. Nguyen Khoa Diem's ​​grandmother - PV) are also a type of name", Mr. Diem said and shared more: "Of course, through actual contributions, through the awards given, gradually the names will become clearer. People are waiting for new names".

Mr. Diem said: "How can the Hai Trieu Journalism Award attract many journalists? For example, if there are people from Quang Nam participating, or people from Nghe An writing, it is very welcome and should be followed in that direction. For example, people love Hue, come here and write the article Ten Days in Hue like Pham Quynh in the past and find it interesting. If they are awarded the award, it would be even better. It is not people here, writing articles for Hue that will raise the level of the award."

Should restore "red address" of 2 newspaper offices

According to researcher Tran Nguyen Khanh Phong (Hue City Historical Science Association), in the current period, it is necessary to find the location where the headquarters of Nhanh Lua and Kinh Te Tan Van Newspapers were located, and especially the location of Huong Giang Bookstore (2 newspaper offices and the location associated with the excellent journalism period of journalist Hai Trieu in Hue) to restore, protect, and serve as a place to set an example for the younger generation and consider it a "red address" not only for Hue City but also for the whole Central region. "Along with that, we should also honor the silent journalists who have endured many hardships and difficulties to preserve, collect, compile, edit and introduce the entire issues of the two newspapers Nhanh Lua and Kinh Te Tan Van so that today we have the newspapers of our ancestors to read," said Mr. Phong.