Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong beat a drum to open the 2015 Spring Press Festival on Saturday, the largest so far with the participation of 65 media agencies.

Year-round publications, as well as spring and Lunar New Year editions, were on display in 120 booths to provide visitors an overarching view of the history of Viet Nam's revolutionary press, the country's socio-economic achievements, the State laws and the Party's policies.

The four-day festival, which is put on every five years, was timed to coincide with the 85th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (February 3), the 125th birthday anniversary of the late President Ho Chi Minh (May 19), the 70th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day (September 2), and the 40th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national unification.

This year the media sector will also celebrate the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Viet Nam Journalists' Association (VJA) and the 90th anniversary of Viet Nam's Revolutionary Press Day.

Following the opening ceremony, Trong visited the display booths, including that of Vietnam News Agency (VNA), the government's official mouthpiece on domestic and international issues.

VNA has on display an array of print, electronic and television materials at its booth that reflect VNA's contributions to the country since its establishment 70 years ago.

It is also exhibiting photos that won multiple prizes at home and abroad, including the Ho Chi Minh Prize and the State Award for Literature and the Arts. VNA currently has the largest number of products out of all of Viet Nam's media organisations. These include bulletins, dailies, weeklies, monthlies, magazines, pictorials, a TV channel, websites and mobile apps.

It has retained its position as a mainstream information source, contributing to national construction and defence.

Trong said he was happy to see many insightful articles that offer a panorama of the country's path to prosperity during 2014. The festival would enable journalists nationwide to share professional skills, he said.

This year's event was hosted by VJA, which started the festival in 1991; the Party Central Committee's Commission for Publicity and Education; the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; and the municipal People's Committee.

It also features workshops, exchanges with the public, and cultural and art performances.

VNS