Unlocking resources to advance Dong Nai's culture

With cultural values passed down through generations and new creative spaces emerging, Dong Nai has a unique opportunity to turn culture into a spiritual foundation, a goal, and a driving force for the city's socio-economic growth.

The epic art program "Dong Nai - Southern spirit, rising with the nation" takes place at Long Hung Square on May 18, 2026, marking the announcement of the National Assembly's Resolution on the establishment of Dong Nai City. Photo: Cong Nghia

Opening up investment resources and making it easier for cultural growth are expected to create new opportunities, helping build a healthy, unique cultural environment and improve residents' quality of life in this new phase.

Culture to receive at least 2% of annual state budget

Alongside economic development, Dong Nai has long prioritized investment in the cultural sector. Many historical sites have been restored and renovated, the system of cultural institutions has received synchronized investment, and movements in culture, arts, sports, and grassroots cultural life have been widely implemented and promoted. These efforts have contributed to enhancing people's cultural well-being and preserving and promoting traditional cultural values.

Notably, the action plan of the City Party Committee’s Standing Board to implement the Politburo’s Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW, dated January 7, 2026, on the development of Vietnamese culture in Dong Nai City, has established specific targets to ensure adequate resources for cultural development by 2030. These include allocating at least 2% of total annual state budget expenditure to culture, with gradual increases as practical requirements evolve. At the same time, the city is calling for private and non-state investment in the cultural sector. By 2045, it aims for revenue from cultural and tourism services to contribute approximately 3% of GRDP.

Regarding heritage, since July 2025, many historical sites in the city have been identified for restoration and renovation. Specifically, these include urgent repairs to several tunnel entrances and trenches at the Suoi Linh Tunnels (Tri An commune); the restoration and renovation of the Nguyen Huu Canh tomb area within the Nguyen Huu Canh Temple and Tomb complex (Tran Bien ward); the VK98 Fuel Depot, part of the Truong Son - Ho Chi Minh Trail, in Loc Quang commune; Voi (Elephant) Waterfall (Tho Son commune); the site marking the establishment of the Indochinese Communist Party Cell in Phu Rieng (Thuan Loi commune); and Ba Ra Mountain - Thac Mo (Phuoc Long ward).

On April 30, 2026, Dong Nai officially became a city, marking the beginning of a new phase of development with a broader vision, larger scale, and higher requirements. According to M.A. Tran Quang Toai, Chairman of the Dong Nai City Historical Sciences Association, meeting the pace of growth requires establishing a new governance mechanism to replace the old model. In this process, the cultural sector needs to effectively classify and orient investment toward specific groups, including the Dong Nai River heritage linked to the history of territorial expansion, industrial heritage, and the system of revolutionary historical sites that serve as "red addresses" for educating younger generations.

"Economic development must go hand in hand with cultural development. Culture, science, and creativity require appropriate investment mechanisms. Furthermore, it is necessary to strengthen links among intellectuals, professional associations, businesses, and management agencies to create a creative ecosystem that produces products with both spiritual value and contributions to economic development."

M.A. Tran Quang Toai, Chairman of the Dong Nai City Historical Sciences Association

In addition to mobilizing resources for heritage conservation and promotion, communes and wards in Dong Nai City are also increasing investment in and upgrading their cultural institution systems. In Binh Long ward, the cultural and sports infrastructure system has received significant investment. The ward now has 30 neighborhood cultural houses and community culture-sports-learning centers, two children's playgrounds, three swimming pools, a gym, tennis courts, a library with more than 8,500 books, and 66 smart broadcasting clusters. These facilities have become centers for community interaction and sports activities, contributing to reducing social vices.

According to Le Ngoc Tien, Chairman of the People's Committee of Trang Bom ward, the locality has recently achieved positive results in mobilizing businesses, organizations, and individuals to invest in cultural activities. Notable examples include securing support from the Nike Group for the construction of a multi-purpose sports field in Doan Ket Hamlet, valued at more than VND 1 billion, and mobilizing socialized funding for a mini football field in Hamlet 4, valued at more than VND 800 million. These efforts have created favorable conditions for the locality to effectively organize cultural and sports activities for local residents.

Turning culture into a development driver

In the new context, cultural development is not solely the responsibility of the cultural sector but requires the participation of society as a whole. Beyond improving policies, Dong Nai has identified the mobilization of social resources as a key solution for creating breakthroughs in the cultural field.

In line with the city's orientation, many new cultural economic models will be studied and developed by leveraging strengths in heritage, tourism, services, urban development, and digital spaces. Key cultural projects and large-scale cultural-entertainment complexes will gradually take shape, contributing to the development of a dynamic cultural-economic ecosystem. In particular, the city encourages investment in the construction of training facilities and cultural institutions in difficult, remote, and ethnic minority areas, while prioritizing the development of cultural industries.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Huynh Van Toi, Council member of Ho Chi Minh City University of Culture, stated that cultural industries develop on the basis of core human resources, including talent, creativity, knowledge, and innovative capacity. Young people constitute the core and pioneering force of the cultural industries because they possess advantages in mastering technology, creating content, connecting globally, and developing new cultural products on digital platforms. Developing cultural industries serves not only economic objectives but also the goal of building the Vietnamese people, in general, and the Dong Nai people, in particular, by promoting national identity and enhancing national soft power in the digital era.

One of the directions expected to create breakthroughs is the promotion of public-private partnerships in the investment, management, and operation of cultural and sports facilities. The participation of businesses, organizations, and individuals will help ease pressure on the state budget while improving the operational efficiency of cultural and sports facilities.

At the same time, Dong Nai City is focusing on formulating policies to attract and effectively utilize talent in the fields of culture, arts, and sports; strengthening the training and development of artists, artisans, and cultural officials at all levels; and encouraging the creation of works with ideological and artistic value, thereby contributing to affirming Dong Nai's cultural position in the new era.

Folk artisan Le Van Loi, Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai Don Ca Tai Tu Club, said, "For traditional cultural values to continue to spread and become a resource for development, more policies are needed to support artisans and those engaged in cultural preservation. This is an important source of motivation for artisans and heritage practitioners to continue their work and pass it on to today's younger generation."

Unlocking cultural resources is not merely about investing in institutions or cultural facilities; it is also a process of "awakening" the values cultivated over the 328 years of Dong Nai's formation and development. Through the integration of conservation and development and the connection between tradition and creativity, Dong Nai is shaping a dynamic cultural ecosystem that helps foster well-rounded Dong Nai citizens who are friendly, compassionate, civilized, and modern.

By My Ny – Translated by Minh Hong, Minho