Comprehensive development of Vietnamese culture and people

Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Hoai Son in an interview with the press. (Photo: TL)

The draft Political Report of the 13th Party Central Committee at the 14th National Party Congress emphasized the requirement of "building and developing an advanced Vietnamese culture, imbued with national identity, synchronously based on the system of national values, the system of cultural values, the system of family values and standards of Vietnamese people". This is the inheritance of the spirit of the 13th Congress, and a stronger affirmation of the role of culture and people in the new era.

Putting culture and people at the center of development

General Secretary To Lam emphasized: “Investing in culture is investing in the future, in the source of national strength” ^[1] . This suggests a very clear policy requirement: Culture is not just a supporting field but must become a pillar of development on par with economics , politics and society. Reality over the years has proven: When culture and people are placed in the right position, national strength will be multiplied. The important thing is that culture cannot stand on the sidelines of development policy. Culture must permeate all planning, projects and schemes with a long-term vision and high standards. Putting culture and people at the center is therefore not just a political declaration, but a clear direction for action.

During the XIII Congress term, the country has recorded many important achievements in the fields of culture and human development. The Draft Political Report affirms: “Cultural, human and social development has achieved very important results, with many aspects of progress; social security and people's lives have been increasingly improved”. These achievements are clearly demonstrated in specific changes: many cultural institutions - from museums, libraries, theaters to community cultural centers - have received investment attention, contributing to creating a richer spiritual living space for the people. Many large-scale cultural programs have aroused national pride, such as the series of celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the successful August Revolution and National Day September 2, or the recent national concerts attracting tens of thousands of young audiences, demonstrating the new vitality of culture in the hearts of the public.

In particular, in the international arena, Vietnam's cultural position has been strongly affirmed. Hanoi, Da Lat, and Hoi An have become members of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for design, while cultural values such as Thai xoe dance, Cham pottery art, or the Yen Tu-Vinh Nghiem-Con Son and Kiep Bac relics have been recognized by UNESCO as world heritage sites. This is not only an international recognition of the quintessence of national culture, but also opens up opportunities for the development of creative industries and cultural tourism - areas that are gradually becoming new driving forces for the economy.

However, the draft Political Report frankly pointed out: “Culture has not really become a resource, an endogenous strength and a strong driving force for development. The system of national values, the system of cultural values, the system of family values and the standards of Vietnamese people have been slowly clarified… Investment in culture is still low and scattered… The cultural environment is not really healthy; social ethics still show signs of degradation”. In reality, in many remote areas, village and commune cultural houses are still closed, lacking practical activities; the gap in cultural enjoyment opportunities between urban and rural areas has not been overcome. In cyberspace - which is increasingly becoming the “second home” of young people - the phenomenon of fake news, violent language, and toxic content is still widespread, and there is no strong enough solution to build a healthy environment. Therefore, the draft documents of the 14th National Congress need not only to acknowledge achievements, but more importantly, to focus on addressing gaps, turning the aspiration to build a comprehensive Vietnamese person into reality with more specific, stronger and synchronous policies.

Breakthrough requirements from the 14th Congress: Building a comprehensive Vietnamese person

The achievements and limitations in the recent period pose an inevitable requirement: The 14th Congress documents must consider the building of a comprehensive Vietnamese person as a strategic breakthrough. The draft Political Report has clearly stated: "Building and developing an advanced Vietnamese culture, imbued with national identity, synchronous on the foundation of the national value system, cultural value system, family value system and Vietnamese human standards". The important new point is that this time, the value system is not only stated in general but has been affirmed as an orientation that needs to be specified and integrated into education, communication and social movements.

Speaking at the ceremony to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the cultural sector's tradition (August 28, 1945 - August 28, 2025), General Secretary To Lam emphasized: "Culture builds the image of the nation, shapes the national value system and the value system of the Vietnamese people in the new era: patriotism, humanity, solidarity, honesty, responsibility, creativity, discipline, and aspiration". Building a well-rounded person first of all means improving intelligence, morality, physical strength, and skills. This requires the education system to continue to fundamentally innovate, from the way of teaching letters to the way of teaching people, nurturing creativity and global citizenship awareness. Along with education, it is necessary to pay attention to a healthy cultural environment. A safe cyberspace rich in human values will be the "second school" of the young generation. Therefore, developing digital culture, building a code of conduct online and supporting active content creation platforms are requirements that cannot be delayed.

Culture builds the shape of the nation, shapes the national value system and the value system of Vietnamese people in the new era: patriotism, humanity, solidarity, honesty, responsibility, creativity, discipline, and aspiration.
General Secretary To Lam

Another breakthrough is to link human development with the development of cultural industries and creative economy. When the film, music, design, online game industries, etc. are properly invested, they not only create jobs and contribute to GDP but also shape aesthetic tastes, behavioral standards, and foster cultural pride. In addition, building a comprehensive Vietnamese person is also associated with enhancing the role of intellectuals, artists, entrepreneurs, and youth. They are the pioneering force in spreading the value system, creating new products and models, and inspiring the community.

Turning desire into action

To comprehensively develop Vietnamese culture and people to truly become a strategic breakthrough, the 14th Congress documents do not stop at orientation, but need to have clear solutions and implementation mechanisms. Here are some recommendations:

Firstly , concretize the Vietnamese value system in the new period. The national, cultural, family value systems and Vietnamese human standards have been identified in the draft document, but still need a roadmap and implementation tools. It is necessary to deeply integrate these values into the general education program, into mass media activities, and especially into grassroots movements.

Second , make worthy investments to make culture equal to the economy. Investing in culture is investing in the future, in the source of national strength. This requires the 14th Congress documents to be accompanied by specific targets on the proportion of the budget for culture, mechanisms to encourage socialization and public-private cooperation in building cultural institutions. Without a guarantee of resources, the goal of "culture being on par with economics and politics" will be difficult to put into practice.

Third , strongly develop the cultural industry and digital culture. In the period of integration and digital transformation, the cultural industry is not only an economic sector, but also a "soft power" that affirms national character. The document should stipulate more clearly the policy of prioritizing key industries such as film, music, design, online games, and at the same time build a safe and healthy digital creative ecosystem. A code of conduct on cyberspace, along with a mechanism to support platforms for creating content with Vietnamese identity, will help protect young people from negative foreign cultural flows.

Fourth , care for and promote the role of the cultural elite. People are the center of culture, and the direct force in creating culture is the intellectuals, artists, businessmen, and youth. The document needs to mention more clearly the policies to promote talents in the field of culture and arts, encourage creativity, protect copyright, and create conditions for young people to engage in creative professions.

Fifth , promote cultural diplomacy and promote the national image. In the context of deep integration, culture is an important diplomatic channel to enhance the country's position. Documents should have stronger commitments to building a national cultural brand, organizing international cultural and artistic events, and proactively participating in UNESCO's global creative networks. This is the way to turn culture into a "common language" for Vietnam to dialogue, cooperate, and spread values to friends around the world.

The 14th National Party Congress is approaching, bringing with it the aspiration to open a new era of development for the country. In that aspiration, culture and people are not only the spiritual foundation, but also the strongest internal resources for Vietnam to rise up. The 14th National Party Congress documents, therefore, are a strong commitment to the people: Taking people as the root, taking culture as the foundation, to build a rich, civilized, happy Vietnam, standing firm with the times.

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[1] https://tuoitre.vn/tong-bi-thu-to-lam-dau-tu-cho-van-hoa-la-dau-tu-cho-tuong-lai-cho-mach-nguon-suc-manh-dan-toc-20250823104014105.htm

Associate Professor, Dr. BUI HOAI SON

Full-time member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Society

Source: https://nhandan.vn/phat-trien-toan-dien-van-hoa-con-nguoi-viet-nam-post916362.html