People visit an Intellectual House in Huong Tho hamlet, Duc Huong commune. (photo: mattran.hatinh.gov.vn)

The Intellectual House is a venue to strengthen solidarity and community bonds in a residential area. Cultural activities, arts, sports, folk games, children's games, exchanges, and ideological activities are taking place in the house. Every Intellectual House has a library of books. It’s a venue for organizing training sessions and exchanges of knowledge, skills, and experience in such fields as public health and agriculture.

Tran Nhat Tan, Chairman of the Fatherland Front Committee of Ha Tinh province (photo: VOV)

The model, which originated in Ha Tinh province, is to create a place for lifelong learning and to preserve and promote the local culture. Tran Nhat Tan, Chairman of the Fatherland Front Committee of Ha Tinh province, said: “After 2 years, this model has proven effective. A large number of rural people support the model and come here to take part in community activities. Many districts, towns, and cities plan to replicate the model in their residential areas. There are 94 replicas of the model in the province so far, and 60 more are scheduled to open this year. We are urging the Ha Tinh provincial Steering Committee for New Rural Areas to include the model in its new rural area criteria.”

Building and maintaining community solidarity is the goal of the Intellectual House. In Ha Tinh province the model is connecting the community, enriching the local cultural life, and strengthening the great unity bloc.