Dong Nai strives to build cultural hamlets and neighborhoods

The year 2025 marks 25 years since Dong Nai Province, along with the rest of the country, began implementing the “All people unite to build cultural life” movement.

Residents of Dak O Commune participate in community activities at the local cultural center. Photo: Dang Hung

Over the past 25 years, the movement to build cultural hamlets and neighborhoods across Dong Nai has yielded significant results. It has not only transformed the appearance of rural areas and contributed to the development of more civilized urban spaces, but also helped strengthen cultural foundations and reinforce the great national unity bloc.

Flexible implementation at the grassroots level

According to Nguyen Thi Thoa, head of Gia Hoa Hamlet in Xuan Loc Commune, raising public awareness and encouraging participation have been central to the success of the cultural hamlet and neighborhood movement. “Our hamlet has focused on communication and mobilization so that people understand the program and join voluntarily,” she said. As a result, various cultural, art, and sports clubs have been established and are actively operating at local cultural facilities, contributing to a vibrant community life and enriching the spiritual well-being of residents.

The implementation of community conventions in Gia Hoa Hamlet has been carried out in line with local customs and traditions. Mutual support activities and gratitude programs have been widely expanded, fostering a strong sense of community. Residents have also joined hands to beautify local roads and alleys, creating cleaner, greener, and more pleasant living spaces.

Phan Hoang Vinh, Secretary of the Nam Do Hamlet Party Cell in Dong Tam Commune, shared that local efforts are closely tied to daily life. The hamlet regularly encourages residents to maintain environmental hygiene, observe civilized practices in weddings, funerals, and festivals, and promote family harmony and solidarity. “The movement has truly become part of our community’s daily routine,” he emphasized.

A report summarizing 25 years of the All People Unite to Build Cultural Life movement (2001–2025) from Thanh Son Commune shows significant progress. Communication campaigns have been widely conducted, improving both material and spiritual living standards, while outdated customs have been gradually eliminated. The spirit of mutual support and community unity has been strengthened across the commune.

In 2001, over 80 percent of Thanh Son’s hamlets were recognized as “cultural hamlets.” By the end of 2024, the rate reached 100 percent, while “cultural families” rose from over 80 percent to 99.2 percent. All eight hamlets now have cultural houses, and local traditions related to weddings, funerals, and festivals are observed with civility and respect.

At the beginning of 2025, all hamlets and neighborhoods in Dong Nai registered to participate in the cultural development program. In August, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued new guidance for community cultural and sports centers under commune and ward service facilities, encouraging more public participation through cultural and recreational activities.

Boost outreach, scale up successful models

The movement to build cultural hamlets and neighborhoods in Dong Nai has received strong leadership and coordination from local Party committees and authorities. It has been integrated with other community campaigns to encourage public engagement. Since 2010, it has also been linked with the “National Target Program on new-style rural development and civilized urban development”, enhancing the quality and sustainability of cultural communities.

By the end of 2024, 99.9 percent of hamlets and neighborhoods in the province had achieved cultural standards; 98.9 percent of families were recognized as “cultural families”; and more than 90 percent of community cultural houses and sports areas were rated as effective and active.

Dozens of exemplary models have emerged across the province, such as self-managed security roads, community CCTV networks, “security lighting” systems, neighborhood fire prevention groups, “bright–green–clean–beautiful” streets, “security alarm gongs,” and “safe, civilized, and crime-free boarding houses for workers.” These initiatives have not only promoted community self-management and social order but also strengthened public safety and civic awareness.

According to Tran Phong Lan, Vice Chairman of Thanh Son Commune People’s Committee, the locality aims during 2025–2030 to maintain 99 percent of households recognized as “cultural families,” ensure all eight hamlets retain their cultural status, and maintain cultural standards across local agencies and units. “We are committed to ensuring that all hamlets have standard cultural houses and that the commune operates a qualified cultural and sports center for residents,” he said. The commune also aims for more than 55 percent of its residents to regularly participate in cultural, artistic, and sporting activities.

To further deepen the movement’s impact, Nguyen Xuan Thanh, Secretary of the Tam Hiep Ward Party Committee and Chairman of the Ward People’s Council, said the ward has been intensifying awareness campaigns alongside local emulation movements. “We’re calling on residents and businesses to join hands in promoting social engagement in culture and sports, helping to improve both material and spiritual life,” he said. The ward is also identifying and replicating successful community models to further expand the movement across its neighborhoods.

By My Ny – Translated by Thuc Oanh, Minho