Speaking at the launch ceremony on November 2, Nguyen Dac Vinh, secretary of the HCYU Central Committee and Chairman of the Vietnamese Students’ Association said that the contest will help Vietnamese students to fully understand the roles, strength and potential of their country’s Sea and Islands in order to raise their awareness and responsibility towards their homeland.

The contest will be open to domestic and overseas Vietnamese college, university and postgraduate students and foreign students in Vietnam.

The deadline for the submission is March 26, 2010. Information about the contest is available on the following websites: www.dangcongsan.vn, www.moet.gov.vn, www.tienphong.vn, www.thanhnien.com.vn, www.svvn.vn, and www.tienphong.vn.

Contestants can use reference materials, maps, appendixes, pictures and photos to illustrate the points made in their writings. The compositions should not have been submitted to any previous contests on the Sea and Islands. The compositions could be used for information, reference, research and training.

The contest will be reviewed in April next year to mark the anniversary of Vietnam’s Liberation Day. The special, first, second and third prizes will be worth VND15 million, VND10 million, VND7 million, and VND5 million, respectively.