Dong Nai writers and artists: Filled with creative energy, united, and inspired by the spirit of the new Dong Nai province

Since July 1, 2025, the whole country has undergone a transformation, turning a new page with faith and aspiration towards an era of national rise. Sharing in such joy, the two provinces of Dong Nai and Binh Phuoc have merged into the (new) Dong Nai province. Driven by the desire to develop and integrate with the rest of the whole country, Dong Nai’s writers and artists are overwhelmed with fresh inspiration, eagerly creating and promoting the image of their homeland and the people of the Southeast region in a richly distinctive cultural and artistic ecosystem.

Pham Hien, Vice Chairman of Dong Nai Province Literature and Arts Association, in an interview with Dong Nai Newspaper and Radio, Television, speaks about the spirit of solidarity and enthusiasm of writers and artists in creating works after the province's merger

Promoting the strength and cultural identity of Dong Nai past and present

Dong Nai, blessed with fertile land, favorable weather, is known as "a welcoming land where birds come to roost" thanks to its fertile soil, evenly distributed river system, carrying heavy alluvium to cool and nourish the spiritual life, and the character of Dong Nai people: generous, warm-hearted, and ready to share. That is the spirit of mutual support and compassion in the process of land reclamation and establishment (in 1698, Nguyen Huu Canh received the order of Lord Nguyen Phuc Chu to travel south to "establish sovereignty, stabilize the situation, attract settlers, reclaim land, build villages, establish Gia Dinh Prefecture and Tan Binh district, Phuoc Long district"). That land needs solidarity and love to overcome countless challenges and dangers, because “Dong Nai is a strange land/ Crocodiles swim in the river, tigers prowl in the forest”. It was not until the beginning of the 20th century that teacher, photographer, poet Bang Ba Lan had some verses to dispel that desolation:

“You are a girl from Dong Nai

Your teeth is so white, your figure is so charming

You smile, you speak with innocent grace

Your love is as rich as the taste of durian

Back home, I think of last night…

Missing someone, missing the gift of Dong Nai…”.

Today, Dong Nai opens up new opportunities, on a vast land from the South Truong Son - Tay Nguyen cultural space, hearing "The sound of pestles on Bom Bo hamlet" to "Tri An echoes in spring"... It can be summarized by the highlights considered as the province’s strengths: Dong Nai has a relatively flat terrain, yet owns two sacred mountains, including Ba Ra mountain, 736m high, and Chua Chan mountain, 837m high, carrying many legends and heritage sites to develop the tourism and service industry. The system of historical relics, scenic spots and religious belief institutions is distributed densely throughout the province; the diversity of ethnic groups, religions, folk festivals; the richness of costumes, cuisine, and traditional craft villages have enriched the spiritual life of the people.

Dong Nai's economic landscape has recently improved as the province has major transport infrastructure projects that have been and are being implemented. These factors have helped talented artists to open up and add endless inspiration to create works of prose, paintings, art photos, music... that are commensurate with the cultural identity as well as the development of the locality. That is also the responsibility of more than 600 members of the Dong Nai Literature and Arts Association.

In the coming time, it is necessary to continue to strengthen the organization and operation of the literary and artistic associations to ensure unity, streamlining, professionalism, efficiency, gathering a large number of artists to participate, and developing members in both quantity and quality...

Making literature and art an important spiritual foundation in building Dong Nai culture and people

In the environment of a newly merged province with a large area and large population, the work of building and developing culture and arts in the new period must also change, harmonize and promote strengths.

Accordingly, it is necessary to continue to strongly innovate the thinking and methods of leadership and direction, raise awareness and responsibility of Party committees and organizations at all levels, especially leaders, for the work of culture and arts. Attention should be paid to the specificity, sensitivity and sophistication of culture and arts, ensuring development in accordance with the Party's political and ideological orientation, while ensuring freedom and democracy in creativity; arouse and strongly promote the desire to contribute and the creative capacity of artists. There’s a need to strengthen inspection and supervision of the institutionalization of the Party's policies on culture and arts.

At the same time, it is necessary to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of state management, increase resources for building and developing culture and arts, ensure harmony, avoid dispersion and waste. Dong Nai is expected to invest in promoting valuable cultural and artistic works, especially those for children and those of ethnic minorities. The province should focus on reviewing, supplementing and perfecting policies and laws on culture and arts; ensuring conformity with development orientations and practical requirements; improving the efficiency of investment funds for culture and arts development, creating breakthroughs in attracting and allocating resources; building and fine-tuning policies on socialization of culture and arts activities; encouraging the connection between culture and arts development and tourism and service sectors; gradually creating programs, products and brands in the field of culture and arts in Dong Nai province.

In addition, Dong Nai needs to concentrate on developing the cultural industry along with building and fine-tuning the cultural and artistic market. It should develop sanctions to regulate the behavior and standards of organizations and individuals operating in the field of culture and arts. It’s necessary to develop and perfect aesthetic education programs for youth, teenagers, students in schools; gradually improve the level and aesthetic perception capacity of the public.

In particular, efforts should be made to strongly promote the development of the fields of research, theory and criticism of literature and art. The province needs to resolutely promote the fundamental and leading role of Marxist aesthetics and Ho Chi Minh's thought on literature and art associated with the values and identities of the nation's fine traditional culture and art; at the same time, selectively absorb the world’s finest theoretical achievements in literature and the arts. The province should strengthen the protection of the Party's ideological foundation; fight against wrongful and hostile viewpoints in the field of literature and arts...

By: Pham Hien 

Translated by: Quoc Dung - Thu Ha