Culture – Great Unity Week 2026 puts people at center

The organization of Vietnamese Culture Day alongside the Great National Unity Festival and the Dong Nai City Culture – Great Unity Week 2026 (referred to as the festival) will take place from November 18 to 24, 2026.

On this occasion, Nguyen Tan Phu, Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai City Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, spoke with reporters from Dong Nai Newspaper and Radio, Television about the objectives, significance, requirements, and new features in the organization of the 2026 festival.

Nguyen Tan Phu, Vice Chairman of the city's Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee.

Promoting the festival's positive values

* Could you explain the purpose of organizing the 2026 festival?

- In accordance with the directives and conclusion notice of the central authorities and the Dong Nai City Party Committee’s Standing Committee concerning the organization of the festival, as well as the special 500-day-and-night emulation campaign themed “Solidarity – Discipline – Efficiency – Breakthrough, building a civilized and modern Dong Nai," the city’s Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee’s Standing Board has issued guidelines for socio-political organizations, member organizations of the city’s Vietnam Fatherland Front, and the standing boards of Vietnam Fatherland Front committees in communes and wards to organize the 2026 festival.

Accordingly, the festival aims to link the Great National Unity Festival on November 18 with Vietnamese Culture Day on November 24 through the Culture - Great Unity Week, creating a continuous series of practical, meaningful community cultural activities with broad participation from all segments of the population. Through the festival, the city seeks to strengthen the great national unity bloc, promote a vibrant emulation spirit, and translate the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress and the Resolution of the 11th National Congress of the Vietnam Fatherland Front for the 2026–2031 tenure into concrete action.

At the same time, the festival aims to promote the people's role in self-governance and build united, safe, prosperous, and happy residential communities. It also seeks to mobilize the collective strength of the people in implementing the special 500-day-and-night emulation campaign, contributing to the fulfillment of the city's socio-economic development targets and ensuring social welfare, national defense, and security.

* What requirements has the Standing Board of the city’s Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee set for localities and agencies in organizing the 2026 festival?

- The organization of the festival and related activities must be practical, solemn, safe, and economical, avoiding bureaucratic formalism, ostentation, and waste. The festival must focus on residential communities, placing people at the center as active participants who directly engage in cultural activities, creation, and enjoyment.

At the same time, it’s necessary to promote the proactive and core role of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations at all levels, ensure close coordination with local administrations and relevant agencies, encourage the application of digital technologies and multimedia communications, and mobilize the combined strength of society as a whole.

Of the 595 hamlets and neighborhoods across 95 communes and wards, each locality will select one residential area to host the festival and invite city leaders to attend.

* Social welfare activities have long been a fine tradition associated with the festival in Dong Nai. What guidance has the Standing Board of the municipal Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee provided on this matter this year?

- The Standing Board of the city’s Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee has directed localities and units to organize humanitarian and charitable activities; visit and offer encouragement to policy beneficiary families and people with meritorious service; commence and complete projects serving people's daily needs; and organize ceremonies to begin construction or hand over “Great Solidarity” houses.

In addition, before the festival, localities and units should organize clean-up activities along village roads, neighborhood alleys, residential groups, and residential areas to create a bright, green, clean, and beautiful environment.

Depending on their actual conditions, residential communities, agencies, and units may also honor, commend, and reward organizations, units, and individuals with outstanding achievements or significant contributions to community activities and social welfare efforts.

Many new features

* What are the new features of the 2026 festival compared with previous years?

- First, the festival will be organized on a larger scale in hamlets, villages and quarters this year following Dong Nai's recent reorganization of these residential units, which reduced their number from 1,771 to 595.

The festival will also be held at agencies, units, and schools in 2026. The content, formats, and themes of activities will be selected in accordance with the specific conditions of each agency, unit, and school. However, they must be closely linked to the implementation of the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress and the Resolution of the 11th National Congress of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, with an emphasis on building united, safe, prosperous, and happy residential communities.

Residents of Tho Son Commune participate in sports activities during the 2025 Great National Unity Festival.

* This is the first year the festival has incorporated a wide range of activities. What orientations has the Standing Board of the municipal Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee set for the festival?

- Alongside the ceremonial proceedings conducted in accordance with regulations, the Standing Board of the city’s Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee has issued guidance on organizing festive activities in communes, wards, agencies, units, and schools. A wide range of activities has been outlined for localities, hamlets, villages, quarters, agencies, units, and schools to select and organize according to their specific conditions. These include traditional ethnic costume performances, presentations of traditional cuisine, displays of cultural spaces, village charters and community conventions, cultural and artistic performances, physical fitness activities, outdoor group exercises, traditional folk games, and folk dances.

Meanwhile, the City People's Committee is implementing a plan to organize a series of major activities during the festival in conjunction with the Culture – Great Unity Week. These include the communication campaign "Journey to Experience Vietnamese Culture 2026"; an art program showcasing literary and artistic works; a seminar on enhancing the role of socio-political organizations in implementing Politburo Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW, dated January 7, 2026, on the development of Vietnamese culture, thereby contributing to improving the quality of the Great National Unity Festival throughout the city; a fashion show highlighting the value of Bien Hoa pottery; and a film week commemorating Vietnamese Culture Day 2026.

* Dong Nai continues to accelerate digital transformation in 2026. What guidance has the Standing Board of the municipal Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee provided to bring digital transformation closer to the people during the festival?

- The Standing Board of the city’s Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee has instructed communes, wards, agencies, units, and schools to establish digital transformation and One Commune One Product (OCOP) exhibition spaces to display and promote local OCOP products. They have also been directed to arrange booths to help residents install and use online public services, acquire digital skills, and prevent online fraud.

Localities and units are encouraged to apply information technology in organizing exhibition booths, introducing traditional craft village products, and promoting local and community-based tourism, rather than relying exclusively on conventional exhibition spaces. Participating units will also operate booths to help residents access and use online public services and improve their digital skills. At the same time, residents will be encouraged to produce short videos capturing joyful moments during the festival to spread a positive atmosphere on digital platforms. Guidance will also be provided on recognizing malicious information and preventing online fraud.

By Trong Phuoc, Van Tuyen – Translated by Minh Hong, Thu Ha