This year’s competition attracted 30 teams with over 1,000 contestants from primary, lower secondary, upper secondary schools, and Centers for Vocational - Continuing Education across the province. Each team went through three parts: Team introduction, storytelling from books, and a talent segment. In each part, the students not only demonstrated their ability to read, understand, and retell, but also embodied the characters, acting with their own emotions. Many performances were highly praised by the jury for their creativity, investment, and emotional delivery.

When the voice of a student from Hà Nội - Điện Biên Phủ Primary School (Điện Biên Phủ ward) rang out, many in the audience couldn’t hide their emotion. The story of soldier Nguyễn Văn Bạch, a Hero of the People’s Armed Forces, the man who detonated the nearly 1,000kg explosive charge on Hill A1 during the Điện Biên Phủ campaign, was recreated in a clear yet poignant voice. The students didn’t just read from the pages; they illustrated it with acting and music, making the audience feel as if they were reliving the atmosphere of the battlefield that year.

Trịnh An Nhiên, a student in class 5A5 at Hà Nội - Điện Biên Phủ Primary School, shared: “When I told the part about hero Nguyễn Văn Bạch volunteering to move the explosives in the narrow tunnel and detonating the thousand-kilo charge to help our army win, I was very moved. Through this story, I want to send a message to my friends: Let’s cherish history and be grateful to the heroes who sacrificed so we can have a peaceful life today.”

More than just a competition, “Storytelling from Books” was truly a festival of knowledge and emotion. Each segment was elaborately staged, combining storytelling with theatrical illustration, music, and projected images, helping the audience not only “hear” but also “see” history come alive through every word. Many seemingly familiar stories were presented from a new, more relatable perspective for the younger generation. Each performance was a vivid slice of history, evoking sincere feelings and deep gratitude for heroic martyrs like Bế Văn Đàn, Tô Vĩnh Diện, and Vừ A Dính. These shining examples of courage and sacrifice were vividly reenacted through the students’ narratives, leaving the audience in quiet, emotional reflection and pride.

For Lương Nhật Hoàng, a student at Lê Quý Đôn Gifted High School, the journey of participating in the competition was an opportunity to relive the heroic atmosphere of the Điện Biên Phủ Victory and to further cherish the traditional values of his homeland.

Hoàng shared: “Participating in this competition, I felt even more deeply the indomitable spirit of the soldiers and the great significance of the Điện Biên Phủ Victory. Retelling the stories of the heroes of the past, I felt like history was coming alive around me. I am very proud to be a student from the heroic land of Điện Biên, a place that wrote a golden page in our nation’s history.”

Watching the performances, many people were moved to tears. Lê Thị Thùy Dương, from Điện Biên Phủ ward, shared: “I was very moved listening to the children tell the stories. Besides their emotive voices, each team had its own vivid and creative way of illustrating. The historical stories were no longer dry; they became close and easy to understand, helping the young generation feel the value of independence and freedom more deeply.”

Trần Hải Hà, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said: “The storytelling competition helps spread the love of books and is an effective way to educate tradition. When students get to read, understand, and retell with their own emotions, historical values become closer. At the same time, organizing the competition contributes to inspiring patriotism through knowledge and emotion, nurturing national pride in every student - the future owners of heroic Điện Biên.”

The “Storytelling from Books” competition is also an occasion for schools to link traditional education with reading activities, encouraging students to approach history in new, highly creative ways. The stories told today not only review the past but also add strength and faith for the young generation on their journey to the future. From the innocent and vivid voices of the students, the heroic tradition of Điện Biên Phủ is being continued through small actions and through love for their homeland. The competition is a meaningful playground, helping to keep the fire of tradition alive, so that the spirit of Điện Biên Phủ continues to spread and be promoted in today’s young generation.