Cultural diplomacy showcases Dong Nai's image

In the process of international integration, cultural diplomacy is not only a means of exchange and connection but is also increasingly affirming its role as a form of "soft power," contributing to enhancing the position and image of both localities and the nation.

The orchestra of the Dong Nai Intermediate School of Culture and Arts performs at foreign affairs events in the city. Photo: My Ny

With its distinctive cultural, historical, and human values, Dong Nai City is steadily building bridges for exchange, bringing the image of this dynamic, compassionate, and distinctive cultural land closer to people at home and abroad.

As culture becomes Dong Nai's ambassador

In recent years, cultural diplomacy activities in Dong Nai have made a strong impression through numerous distinctive cultural and artistic events. Many outstanding values associated with historical sites, national treasures, intangible cultural heritage, traditional festivals, craft villages, and the cultural life of ethnic communities have become highlights in showcasing Dong Nai to domestic and international audiences.

The Dong Nai Museum currently manages and promotes the value of more than 40,000 valuable artifacts and documents, including five national treasures. It also maintains 14 permanent galleries at the museum in Tan Trieu Ward and the Binh Phuoc Cultural Exhibition Space in Binh Phuoc Ward. These venues have welcomed and guided hundreds of visitors, as well as numerous research and exchange delegations from the Republic of Korea, Japan, France, the United States, and Australia seeking to learn about the culture, archaeology, and history of the Dong Nai region.

The Dong Nai Art Theater performs during a cultural exchange in Tboung Khmum Province, the Kingdom of Cambodia, in June 2026.

Ngo Tan Bong, Head of the Management Board of Hung Long Communal House Relic in Chon Thanh Ward, who has spent more than 15 years managing, preserving, and organizing festival activities at the site, said, "Every relic, artifact, and historical story is part of the memory of a land with nearly 330 years of formation and development. When presented effectively, these values become a bridge that helps residents and people at home and abroad better understand the people of Dong Nai."

Alongside preserving and promoting heritage values, the Dong Nai Art Theater has also maximized the promotion of both traditional and contemporary artistic values. The unit has actively staged and performed artistic programs for diplomatic delegations from Laos, the Republic of Korea, India, Cambodia, and other countries. Notably, the theater has flexibly applied digital technology by livestreaming performances on Facebook, attracting hundreds of thousands of viewers.

In June 2026, the theater participated in a sports and cultural exchange program between Dong Nai City and Tboung Khmum Province, the Kingdom of Cambodia; and staged performances in celebration of the 12th International Day of Yoga 2026 and in the run-up to the 10th anniversary of the Vietnam-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2016-2026) at the Dong Nai City Sports Training and Competition Center.

Agencies including the Dong Nai Library, the Dong Nai Center for Culture and Cinema, the Dong Nai Intermediate School of Culture and Arts, the Dong Nai Literature and Arts Association, and communes and wards across the city are also strengthening communication and implementing external information work in line with the city's cultural diplomacy strategy for the 2026-2030 period. In addition, friendship associations regularly organize exchange programs, exhibitions featuring the images of ASEAN countries and their people, and fashion shows highlighting the beauty of Asian culture.

Alongside direct exchange activities, agencies and localities across Dong Nai are actively applying digital platforms to promote culture and tourism. These efforts help preserve and promote cultural values while expanding the reach of the image of the land and people of Dong Nai.

Promoting Dong Nai's image

To further improve the effectiveness of cultural diplomacy, Nguyen Viet Bac, Deputy Director of the Dong Nai Art Theater, said the unit will continue advising on and developing artistic programs that reflect the nation's cultural identity for exchange with foreign delegations paying working visits to Dong Nai. These activities not only help promote the image of Vietnam and Dong Nai internationally but also contribute to preserving and promoting traditional values in the era of international integration.

As cultural diplomacy enters a new stage, it requires greater flexibility and clearer direction. Under Guideline No. 22-HD/BTGDVTU issued by the City Party Committee's Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilization on external information work in 2026, Dong Nai is implementing a range of key tasks. These include strengthening information dissemination and communication; promoting the investment and business environment, policies to attract foreign investment, innovation, green transition, digital transformation, and sustainable development; and effectively leveraging the strengths of cultural diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy to create favorable conditions for cooperation in the fields of economy, investment, trade, and tourism.

The city is also strengthening communication on Vietnam's role, positive contributions, and responsibilities within ASEAN, the United Nations, and other important multilateral forums, particularly the country's preparations to host the 34th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum in 2027. At the same time, it continues to combat and refute false and distorted narratives spread by hostile and reactionary forces against the Party, the State, the political system, and Vietnam's foreign relations.

With cultural and historical values nurtured over many generations, Dong Nai is effectively promoting cultural diplomacy by making its heritage, arts, and the stories of its people bridges for exchange. Each promotional activity not only helps spread the image of a dynamic and compassionate land but also expands opportunities for international cooperation and exchange while fostering pride and a shared commitment to preserving cultural identity within the community.

By My Ny – Translated by Minh Hong, Thu Ha