Hanoi, October 16th, 2026 – Saigon Beer – Alcohol – Beverage Corporation (SABECO), under the guidance of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) and in partnership with Dai Doan Ket Newspaper, today officially launched the “Ambassadors of National Progress Award 2026”. Building on the strong community response to its inaugural foundation in 2025, this year's Award expands its focus on engaging younger generations, introduces SMS voting and strengthens its evaluation mechanism to enhance objectivity, transparency and community participation

The event was attended by Mr. Cao Xuan Thao, Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the VFF, together with representatives from the agency of the Central Committee of the VFF.

Delegates from VFF, SABECO and Dai Doan Ket Newspaper at the Ceremony

Expanding Recognition for a New Generation of Progress

“Ambassadors of National Progress Award 2026” returns in alignment with Vietnam's development priorities in a new era, as people, knowledge and creativity become increasingly important drivers of the country's progress. Against this backdrop, the Award seeks to discover and honor individuals creating positive change through meaningful actions, while inspiring a spirit of contribution and a shared aspiration to help shape Vietnam's future. It celebrates a Vietnamese spirit rooted in community and perseverance, while embracing ingenuity, curiosity and the openness to learn, adapt and find new ways forward.

In 2026, the Award will broaden its scope to recognize contributions from different generations and fields. Alongside individuals with established track records of community impact, the Award will create greater space for younger contributors and emerging forms of contribution across fields where fresh thinking is shaping Vietnam’s future, from technology and new applications in agriculture to design, materials, traditional crafts and other evolving areas of impact. This broader scope reflects how progress can emerge from different generations, disciplines and ways of solving local challenges.

The Award also seeks to recognize individuals whose positive contributions may not yet have received widespread public attention. By providing a platform to bring their initiatives and stories closer to communities, the program aims to inspire and encourage more people to contribute to Vietnam's shared progress.

Mr. Tan Teck Chuan Lester, General Director of SABECO, shared “What continues to inspire us about Vietnam is the way people keep moving forward - with perseverance and a strong commitment to community, but also with ingenuity, curiosity and an openness to learn, adapt and try new ways. That spirit is taking many new forms today, especially as younger generations bring fresh ideas and different ways of creating impact. The Ambassadors of National Progress Award is our way of giving those efforts greater recognition and showing that progress can come from many places, many fields and many generations. We want more people to see themselves as part of that journey and to believe that their own ideas and actions can help shape Vietnam’s future. As we’ve grown in steps with Vietnam for generations, SABECO remains committed to moving forward and thriving together with the nation, guided by the spirit of ‘Vietnam Together, Thrive as One”

Mr. Tan Teck Chuan Lester, General Director of SABECO

Connecting Grassroots Participation with Nationwide Recognition

Through the collaboration between SABECO and the Vietnam Fatherland Front, VFF chapters across all 34 provinces and centrally governed cities will nominate and recommend individuals who have made meaningful contributions to their local communities. The nomination process will run from October to December 2026, covering six key areas of contribution including Vocational Training, Environmental Sustainability, Community Development, Technology & Science for Communities, Balanced Lifestyle & Community Wellbeing, and Arts & Culture for Communities

From these nominations, 150 Ambassadors will be selected to advance to the public voting stage, bringing their stories and contributions to a wider national audience. To broaden access and encourage stronger public participation, this year’s Award will introduce SMS voting alongside voting on the Award microsite.  The 15 outstanding honorees will be selected through an evaluation mechanism comprising 70% assessment by the Selection Committee and 30% public voting results.

Mr. Cao Xuan Thao, Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, shared: “The “Ambassadors of National Progress” program carries profound political and social significance, serving as a demonstration of the strength of Vietnam’s great national unity. I believe timely identifying and honoring exemplary individuals and good deeds at the grassroots level not only helps multiply positive actions, but also strengthens public confidence, fosters a spirit of self-reliance and inspires every Vietnamese person to contribute to the country’s development. The Standing Committee of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front calls on provincial and municipal Vietnam Fatherland Front Committees and member organizations to work closely with Dai Doan Ket Newspaper to identify and nominate the most exemplary and deserving individuals.”

Mr. Cao Xuan Thao, Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front

Mr. Truong Thanh Trung, Editor-in-Chief of Dai Doan Ket Newspaper, shared: “As the newspaper of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, Dai Doan Ket Newspaper has always regarded discovering and honoring positive role models who strengthen the great national unity bloc as an important mission. Building on the success of 2025, expanding the program across all 34 provinces and cities in 2026 will enable us to listen to and bring some of the most inspiring stories from grassroots communities to audiences nationwide. Together with the Vietnam Fatherland Front at all levels, Dai Doan Ket Newspaper will uphold objectivity, fairness and professional standards in the nomination and evaluation process, ensuring that every honoree is a source of pride for their community and an inspiration for the country's development.”

Mr. Truong Thanh Trung, Editor-in-Chief of Dai Doan Ket Newspaper

Turning Shared Values into Collective Progress for Vietnam’s Future

The Ambassadors of National Progress Award reflects SABECO's long-term commitment to growing alongside Vietnam by recognizing and honoring individuals whose perseverance, ingenuity and openness to new ways are creating positive impact in their communities every day.

By connecting individuals, communities and partners through stories of positive change, the Award helps bring local people, ideas and achievements to audiences nationwide. In doing so, it seeks to spread the spirit of contribution, encourage more people to take part in creating positive change and contribute to shaping Vietnam's future.

First introduced in 2025 as part of SABECO's 150-year brewing legacy celebration, the Ambassadors of National Progress Award continues in 2026 as a long-term platform to recognize and celebrate individuals contributing to the development of communities and the nation.