“Talking about culture is talking about human development. Human beings produce culture.”

According to history researcher Dr. Ngo Vuong Anh there’s a close, dialectical relationship between human development and cultural development.

At the National Cultural Conference in November 2021, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong underlined the importance of building a system of cultural values in the new era. He reiterated that mission of culture is to light the way for the nation. Culture remains, the nation remains.

Nguyen Toan Thang, Former Director of the Institute of Culture and Development, of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (tapchixaydung.vn)

Nguyen Toan Thang, Former Director of the Institute of Culture and Development, of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, said: “In order to promote culture, we have to educate the younger generation on traditions. Our nation has rich cultural traditions and we have a spirit of cultural tolerance. We open our hearts to international friends. We exchange and integrate with the world. We humbly learn the quintessence of human values to enrich the Vietnamese culture. We must develop an excellent education, combining teaching knowledge and personality.”

The key point of cultural development is to respect history, and understand and promote traditional cultural values, national pride, and aspiration to rise.

Associate Professor Dr. Bui Hoai Son, member of the National Assembly’s Culture and Education Committee, said that building a cultural value system must be based on the thousand-year history, tradition, culture, and people in association with current development, integration, and national defense. The cultural value system must uphold democracy and people's creativity.

“Developing culture should base on people’s rights to culture, enjoyment, and respect to diverse tastes. Our aim is to develop a cultural industry and a cultural market. We are paying more attention to culture and the way to develop it in the future. We respect and promote the Vietnamese cultural diversity to generate more power for the nation,” said Mr. Son.

Building the Vietnamese culture and human value systems in the new era should cover literature and artists with humans being the creators and subjects to convey and spread cultural values. The Party and State have paid special attention to literature and arts and inspiring artists and writers to create works in the community. Many Vietnamese tangible and intangible cultural heritages have been recognized by UNESCO.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Hien, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts (photo: Lan Pham)

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Hien, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts, said: “We hope the State will take more care of artisans and the preservation of cultural clubs. It is not only the policy, but we need finance and practical activities to create jobs for artisans, help elderly artisans, and strengthen the teaching of traditional arts. We need to promote young artists and their performances.”

At the National Cultural Conference in 2021, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized four important factors: the national value system, the cultural value system, the family value system, and Vietnamese standards in the new era. All sectors and localities have initiated solutions to develop these elements and pervade the concept of "culture lights the way for the nation" and "culture remains, the nation remains".