People placed at the center of Dong Nai’s cultural growth

Over more than 325 years of formation and development, Dong Nai has consistently recognised culture as both a spiritual foundation and a crucial internal driving force, promoting sustainable socio-economic progress.

Artists and performers of the Dong Nai Arts Theatre stage a performance in celebration of the 14th National Party Congress, contributing to enhancing the spiritual and cultural life of people across the province

Here, people are placed at the center - as creators, beneficiaries, and disseminators of cultural values, contributing to the development of a well-rounded, compassionate, creative, and globally connected Dong Nai.

People considered stakeholders of cultural creation

Tucked away in a small alley in Duc Thang 1 Hamlet, La Nga Commune, Dong Nai province, the modest home of artisan Dieu Liet is still regularly filled with the rustic sounds of the Chinh K’la, a traditional bamboo-tube musical instrument, and the resonant tones of gongs and drums. At an age few are fortunate to reach, 82, his hands remain steady as he crafts traditional musical instruments and tirelessly passes on gong-playing techniques to younger generations of the Chơro ethnic community.

Beyond preservation, artisan Dieu Liet also acts as a “bridge,” connecting the cultural space of the Chơro people with the broader community through cultural exchanges and gong performances. He shared: “At the locality, the State has invested in cultural houses for ethnic communities and supported the opening of gong-training classes. However, the most crucial factor remains the awareness of the people themselves, especially the younger generation. Cultural identity can only be preserved when descendants truly value and carry forward what their ancestors have passed down.”

Alongside artisan Dieu Liet, across various localities in the province, many individuals and units have quietly been creating and maintaining the cultural flame. It is therefore no coincidence that in Dong Nai’s recent cultural development programs and initiatives, people have consistently been emphasized as the central element of development. From heritage preservation, the development of grassroots cultural life to the development of literature, arts, and cultural industries, all efforts aim to awaken endogenous resources from every individual living and working on this land.

Placing people at the center of development, Dong Nai has stepped up efforts to train and further develop the pool of officials directly engaged in cultural work, while building and enhancing the pioneering role of intellectuals, writers and artists. Each year, the Dong Nai Intermediate School of Culture and Arts trains approximately 200 pupils and students in various performing arts disciplines and cooperates with the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music and the Ho Chi Minh City of Culture in joint training programs. The Dong Nai Association of Literature and Arts regularly organizes field trips for creative work, exhibitions, and public art performances to serve people from all walks of life.

People’s Artist Giang Manh Ha, Vice President of the Vietnam Stage Artists Association and President of the Dong Nai Association of Literature and Arts, noted: “Culture, ultimately, must be oriented toward people and created by people themselves. It is where origins and national identity are crystallized, and it must exert a direct and lasting impact on political, economic, and social life. In its development orientation for the 2025–2030 period, Dong Nai has identified the viewpoint of placing people at the center, as subjects, resources, and the ultimate goal of development. For Dong Nai’s community of artists and writers, this spirit serves as a consistent guiding principle for creativity and dedication, striving toward the goals of a prosperous people, a strong nation, and happiness for all in the new era.”

Looking beyond the realm of artistic creation, from the perspective of cultural research in Dong Nai, Dr. Nguyen Van Quyet, Chairman of the Dong Nai Vietnam–Japan Friendship Association, emphasized that every individual has the capacity for self-learning, self-discipline, and self-improvement within a healthy cultural environment. Investment in human development should be regarded as a long-term strategy with foundational significance for sustainable development, while also fostering close linkages among the economic, political, and cultural spheres.

Linking cultural development with the enhancement of spiritual life

Placing people at the center of development, Dong Nai attaches great importance to building a healthy cultural environment from the grassroots level, where each citizen is both an active participant and a beneficiary of cultural values. The movement themed “All people unite to build a cultural life” continues to be widely implemented alongside building new-style rural areas and civilized urban areas, contributing to the formation of a wholesome, compassionate cultural lifestyle within residential communities.

According to Hoang Thuy Vu, Vice Chairwoman of the People’s Committee of Binh Phuoc ward, in the context of implementing the two-tier local government model, the ward clearly identifies its role as the level of government close to the people, maintaining close ties with them and directly organizing the implementation of the Party’s guidelines and policies and the State’s laws on cultural development. Based on directives from the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People’s Committee, and the culture, sports and tourism sector, the ward has proactively developed plans and carried out tasks in sync with local realities.

“Currently, Binh Phuoc ward has 9 multi-purpose sports halls, 13 parks and flower gardens, two public squares, and 37 neighborhood cultural houses. Notably, the ward maintains 41 cultural and arts clubs and 67 sports clubs, with approximately 40 percent of residents engaging in regular physical exercise. As a result, the spiritual life of the people has been steadily improved, the great national unity bloc has been strengthened, and resources have been mobilized for participation in cultural and sports activities at the provincial and regional levels,” Vu said.

“In the coming period, the cultural sector will continue to prioritize investment in infrastructure, cultural institutions, human resource training, and the development of the province’s cultural brand in accordance with legal regulations. Greater focus will be placed on focused and targeted investment, the preservation and enhancement of the province’s most valuable and representative cultural heritage sites, while also mobilizing socialized resources from organizations and individuals to invest in cultural works and projects.”

Le Thi Ngoc Loan, Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Most recently, on behalf of the Politburo, Party General Secretary To Lam signed and promulgated the Politburo’s Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW on the development of Vietnamese culture. The resolution sets out a range of tasks and solutions for implementation, including a strong focus on building well-rounded Vietnamese citizens and fostering a humane, healthy, civilized, and modern cultural environment. It also designates November 24 each year as “Vietnam Culture Day,” with the policy of recognizing it as a public holiday with full pay, to enhance people’s access to and enjoyment of cultural values, encourage the pool of artists, writers and intellectuals to create, and promote the practice of a cultured and civilized lifestyle across society.

Le Thi Ngoc Loan, Member of the Provincial Party Committee and Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that the department is currently advising on the development of a new resolution on culture for Dong Nai province. This resolution will be formulated based on Resolution No. 12-NQ/TU dated December 12, 2023, of the Provincial Party Committee on building and promoting cultural values and the people of Dong Nai as essential resources and driving forces for comprehensive and sustainable development; and Resolution No. 14-NQ/TU dated November 20, 2023, of the former Binh Phuoc Provincial Party Committee on building and developing culture and people in Binh Phuoc through 2030, with a vision to 2045.

In addition, the culture, sports, and tourism sector will continue to focus on improving the effectiveness and efficiency of state management in the cultural field; fostering the comprehensive development of the people of Dong Nai; and shaping a system of core values that meets the requirements of industrialization, modernization, and international integration. Greater emphasis will be placed on arts education, promoting the people’s role as central actors in building cultural life, and ensuring the rights of every individual and community to access, enjoy, participate in, and create culture through the province’s grassroots cultural institution system.

By My Ny - Translated by Hong Van, Thu Ha