Effective management of historical relics

Actively receive and manage

These days, at the Vam Nhut Tao Urban Area (Nhat Tao Commune, Tay Ninh Province), upgrading and repair work is being vigorously implemented. Since the two-level local government officially began operating, the People's Committee of Nhut Tao Commune has proactively repaired some degraded areas in the urban area, preparing for the anniversary of the sacrifice of National Hero Nguyen Trung Truc.

The embankment area of the Vam Nhut Tao Relic Site is being repaired in preparation for the anniversary of the sacrifice of National Hero Nguyen Trung Truc.

The KDT was inaugurated in 2010, with an area of 6.1 hectares with many items and has become a destination for many visitors from all over the world. The annual commemoration of the death of National Hero Nguyen Trung Truc attracts hundreds of thousands of people to offer incense and commemorate. Up to now, the project has begun to deteriorate and needs to be restored. Immediately after receiving the handover of historical and cultural relics (DTLSVH) in the commune, the People's Committee of Nhut Tao commune proactively surveyed and upgraded the embankment, electrical system, and built additional toilet areas to ensure good service for the commemoration held at the end of October.

Chairman of the People's Committee of Nhut Tao Commune, Truong Minh Tri, said: "When the DTLSVH is assigned to the commune, the management work is more convenient and easier because the relic belongs to the commune, convenient for inspection and supervision. In addition, when receiving the relic, we also receive human resources, so basically the supervision and management are still guaranteed, without any interruption or much impact."

When receiving and managing the Long Khot Fort Area relic, Tuyen Binh Commune People's Committee also received human resources, so the management and care of the relic is still guaranteed (In the photo: Mr. Nguyen Van Tam and his wife, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Phuong, take care of the Long Khot Fort Area relic. They have been doing this job for many years now)

Like Nhut Tao commune, when receiving management of the DTLSVH in the area, Tuyen Binh commune received both the relics and personnel, so the management work is guaranteed to be well maintained. Currently, Tuyen Binh has 4 DTLSVH, of which, the Long Khot Fort Area relic and the Floating Pagoda relic are 2 destinations that attract a large number of visitors from all over the country, especially during the Full Moon Festival in January (at the Floating Pagoda relic) and the celebration of Uncle Ho's birthday and gratitude to the heroic martyrs (at the Long Khot Fort Area relic).

According to Vice Chairman of Tuyen Binh Commune People's Committee Vo Hong Linh, in the coming time, the commune will conduct a survey of the current status of relics in the area, from which it will have a plan to restore and upgrade the tourist areas to ensure good service for tourists in the coming time. Regarding the implementation budget, it will depend on the guidance of superiors to come up with a specific plan.

Waiting for mechanism completion

At present, due to the lack of regulations on decentralization of management, protection and promotion of cultural heritage values in the province, localities are still... waiting to know clearly the extent of decentralization in the process of managing relics in the area.

In Tra Vong commune, there are currently two relics: Tra Vong General Huynh Cong Gian Temple and Tra Vong General Tomb. According to Mr. Nguyen Thai Sung - Head of the commune's Culture and Society Department, previously, Tra Vong General Temple, also known as Dinh Ong, was managed by the commune, and the tomb was managed by the district level. After implementing the two-level local government, the relics in the area were handed over to the commune for management.

“Regarding state management, there is a difference. Previously, the district held the land use right certificate of the mausoleum relic, but now it is handed over to the commune. As for cultural management, when there is restoration, construction, or repair, the locality must also ask for the opinion of the Department of Culture, Sports , and Tourism as before. Currently, there are no new guidelines, so there is basically no difference. In the near future, the locality will reorganize the relic's Management Board, and at the same time, promote it on local information pages so that everyone knows about it,” said Mr. Nguyen Thai Sung.

Cuban delegates visited the workplace of Cuban Ambassador Raul Vades Vivo located at the Relic Site of the Provisional Revolutionary Government Base of the Republic of South Vietnam.

Regarding the management of relics, each relic has a Management Board in charge of worship, care and preservation, so there is currently no difficulty in decentralizing management to the commune. As for the restoration and upgrading of relics, due to the province's permission, they are still being carried out as planned.

In recent times, the locality has carried out many activities to restore and embellish both relics, showing the respect of today's generation for those who have contributed to opening up new lands and protecting villages. "About 3 years ago, someone donated 1,000 ^{square meters} of land to expand the mausoleum, and recently completed the land handover procedures. In the near future, we will focus on building fences according to the province's policy that was previously approved, with funding from people's contributions" - Head of the Department of Culture - Society of Tra Vong commune said.

At the Southern Revolutionary Heritage Management Board (referred to as the Management Board), the unit is managing 5 heritage sites that have been decentralized to the provincial level, all management and protection activities of the relics are still taking place normally as before the merger. According to Mr. Phan Thanh Nhan - Director of the Management Board, since the implementation of the 2-level local government, the province has a policy of maintaining the status quo of public service units under the Provincial People's Committee. Therefore, the management of the heritage sites of the unit is still unchanged.

“Currently, the unit’s operations rely on budget funding. Every year, the unit is allocated funds to prevent degradation from regular budget sources. If there is major construction or repair, there will be a separate plan. The management and monitoring of relics is still carried out regularly by the Management Board to promptly fix and repair, not to affect the relics,” said Mr. Phan Thanh Nhan.

Since the beginning of the year, the Management Board has carried out renovation, restoration and anti-degradation at 5 KDTs. In particular, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025), the Management Board has coordinated with relevant departments, branches and sectors to implement the project of renovating and embellishing a number of items and works in the National Special Historical Site of the Southern Central Bureau Base with a total investment of more than 65.8 billion VND.

History lesson of Tan Bien students at the Southern Central Bureau Base Relic Site (Photo: Duong Duc Kien)

After restoration, digital technology was applied to display artifacts and show documentary films using 3D Mapping technology with 2 films about the history of formation and operation at the Southern Central Office, and the Junction City Victory film of the army and people of Tay Ninh.

According to information from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Department is currently drafting regulations on decentralization of management, protection and promotion of cultural heritage values to facilitate localities in managing cultural heritage sites in the area.

In addition, the Department will also promote socialization, preservation and promotion of the value of cultural works, historical relics, cultural and religious activities, etc. as well as focus on the management and exploitation of historical relics, festivals, etc. In particular, seriously degraded relics will be given special attention in proposing construction, restoration and embellishment.

It can be seen that after the merger, the decentralization of relic management to the commune has initially been effective, creating flexibility and initiative in preserving and embellishing cultural heritage right at the grassroots level. However, in order for the conservation work to go into depth, both ensuring legality and promoting long-term value, it is necessary to soon promulgate specific decentralization regulations. At that time, localities will have more basis for implementation, at the same time mobilizing the community's cooperation in preserving and promoting the value of relics./.

The biggest difficulty for the locality at the present stage is the organization of the upcoming Memorial Day of National Hero Nguyen Trung Truc. Previously, the organization was usually undertaken by the district, mobilizing forces from the entire district to support because the ceremony often attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors to participate. With the current human resources of the commune, organizing the memorial ceremony will be a huge pressure, especially this year is the first year the commune undertakes this responsibility, and needs the support of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and neighboring communes.

Chairman of the People's Committee of Nhut Tao Commune Truong Minh Tri

Ngoc Dieu - Guilin

Source: https://baolongan.vn/quan-ly-hieu-qua-di-tich-lich-su-a202760.html