Attending the congress were Cha A Cua, Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and President of the provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee; representatives of the provincial Party Committee’s Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilisation, leaders of provincial departments and agencies, socio-political organisations, enterprises, central media agencies operating in the province, and 158 delegates representing the association’s chapters.

The Son La Journalists Association currently has 158 members belonging to three chapters: the association’s Office, Son La Newspaper and Radio-Television, and the provincial Union of Literature and Arts Associations. Over the past five years, the association has continued to serve as a bridge between its chapters and media organisations in building a contingent of journalists with strong political mettle, high professional ethics, and continually improving expertise. It has strengthened political and ideological education while coordinating in organising professional training courses, thematic seminars, experience-sharing activities, and updates on multimedia journalism skills to enhance members’ professional capacity and meet the demands of journalism in the digital transformation era.

Each year, the association has proactively advised the provincial Party Committee on organising meetings with journalists to celebrate the Vietnamese Revolutionary Press Day (June 21), combined with the presentation of the Suoi Reo Press Awards. It has also encouraged members to actively participate in press awards and writing contests organised by central agencies, the province, and the Vietnam Journalists Association. From 2020 to 2026, members of the provincial Journalists Association won numerous prestigious awards at the National Radio Festival, the National Television Festival, the National Press Awards, as well as many specialised journalism awards in fields such as Party building, education, gender equality, agriculture, farmers, and rural development.

For the 2026–2031 term, under the motto “Solidarity – innovation – discipline – enhancing social responsibility and civic duty of members and journalists; Building a strong Son La journalism to contribute to the province’s comprehensive development goals,” the association will continue to strengthen solidarity among journalists, ensuring that 100% of members are thoroughly informed of the Party’s guidelines and the State’s policies and laws. It also aims to organise one to two specialised professional training courses annually, further improve the quality of the Suoi Reo Press Awards, and strive to have two to three authors win national-level press awards each year.

During the congress, delegates presented papers and shared experience on improving the quality of entries submitted to the National Press Awards, adapting grassroots journalism to the two-tier local government model, innovating newsroom operations in the digital era and the age of artificial intelligence, and rapidly adapting to multi-platform journalism.

In his keynote address, Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Cha A Cua acknowledged and praised the efforts and achievements of the Son La provincial Journalists Association, local media organisations, and journalists during the past term.

Entering the new term, he called on media agencies and journalists across the province to continue upholding strong political mettle, remain “steadfast in conviction, exemplary in ethics, and excellent in professional competence,” stay loyal to the Party’s goals and ideals, and serve the interests of the nation and the people.

He also urged them to proactively master new technologies, step up digital transformation, develop converged newsrooms, and promote multi-platform journalism.

The congress announced the results of the election of the Executive Committee of the 8th Son La provincial Journalists Association for the 2026–2031 term, comprising nine members. Nguyen Truong Chinh, Director of Son La Newspaper and Radio-Television, was re-elected as Chairman of the association for the 2026–2031 term.

The congresds elected a three-member delegation to the 12th Congress of the Vietnam Journalists Association for the 2026–2031 term.

On this occasion, the Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee awarded certificates of merit to six individuals, while the provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee presented certificates of merit to three individuals in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the association’s activities during the 2020–2025 period.

Prior to the congress, the Son La Journalists Association organised a commemorative incense-offering ceremony at the President Ho Chi Minh Temple in Tay Bac Square and the Memorial House for Martyrs of Son La Prison to mark the 79th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27, 1947 – 2026).