News Agencies World Congress opens in Bulgaria

Deputy General Director of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Le Quoc Minh has participated in activities within the framework of the congress.(Photo: VNA)

The sixth News Agencies World Congress (NAWC) opened in the Bulgarian capital city of Sofia on June 13, bringing together more than 200 delegates from nearly 100 countries and territories around the world.

Deputy General Director of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Le Quoc Minh has participated in activities within the framework of the congress.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Director General of the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) Maxim Minchev said news journalism is one of the last bastions of real and double-checked news.

He underlined the need for news agencies worldwide to accumulate synergy as the situation is changing very quickly.

Discussions during the forum will focus on fake news, artificial intelligence, the new models of ownership of news agencies and the new sources of information, he said.

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said digitalisation has already changed the perception of the world because information is in abundant supply but in reality it is the most scarce commodity.

“Today, the truth is often drowned in fake news as speed takes precedence over credibility. The destructive effect of information now has the potential to be more dangerous than bombs and missiles,” he warned.

The President lauded the organizers and delegates for their efforts in seeking solutions to new challenges facing news agencies.

The NAWC is an international congress for the world’s news agencies around the world, which was established in 2004 in Moscow with the purpose of ensuring and improving the members’ ability to perform as key operators in the fast growing diversity of the global media market.

The objectives of the NAWC are to strengthen unbiased news reporting, support the principle of freedom of the press and contribute to the general understanding of the news background.

The NAWC is held at least every three years. The News Agency World Council (NACO) is responsible, in collaboration with the hosting news agency, for the structure of, and the program for, the forthcoming Congress.

Minchev told a VNA correspondent that the sixth congress is a forum to spread important messages and share initiatives that can be rolled out globally thanks to news agencies.

During the event, participants will discuss challenges in the new era and pressing issues in culture, tourism, social media and traditional press in the 21st century, he said.

The BTA leader expressed his hope to enhance cooperation with the VNA through joint projects between the two agencies as well as the two countries.

On June 12, VNA Deputy General Director Le Quoc Minh had a working session with Vietnamese Ambassador to Bulgaria Doan Tuan Linh, who said the information work plays an important role in promoting relations between the two nations.

Applauding the VNA’s role in this regard, the diplomat hoped that the agency will help the embassy with the publication of a special photo book in Vietnamese, Bulgarian and English languages, and the organisation of photo exhibitions to mark the 70th founding anniversary of Vietnam-Bulgaria diplomatic ties (February 8, 1950-2020).

Minh said the VNA has sufficient experience and capacity and stands ready to coordinate with relevant agencies to help the embassy carry out the initiatives.

VNA