(VOVWORLD) - The culture of ethnic minorities is an important component of Vietnamese culture. The Vietnamese Party and State consider preserving and promoting the cultural values of ethnic minorities an important priority and a key task.
 Vietnam persists in preserving, promoting cultural values of ethnic minorities |
According to the 2019 census, Vietnam had more than 14 million ethnic minority people, 14.7% of the total population, living mainly in the midlands, northern mountains, north-central region, central coast and highlands and southwestern region. Each ethnic minority contributes unique cultural values to enrich the national culture.
Ethnic minority cultures have been well preserved
Cultural values are best preserved in the place they were created. In recent years, Son La province has promoted community cultural movements. Its villages and hamlets now have more than 3,300 performance troupes, the most of any province. Son La spends tens of thousands of USD per year on community cultural activities.
Lo Xuan Huong, head of a troupe in Chieng An ward, Son La city, said: "We’re very proud to receive the Party and State’s attention and provincial funding of 85 USD per year. Each household in the province contributes 1.3 USD a year to the village's cultural and sports fund."
In A Luoi district, Thua Thien-Hue province, traditional festivals of the Pa Cô, such as Arieu Caar, Arieu Piing, and Arieu Aza have been revived. At the A Luoi highlands market session, traditional rituals of A Nor villagers, including the Aza festival, traditional weddings, and folk games such as climbing poles, tug of war, and walking on stilts are re-enacted.
Le Thi Them, head of the Culture and Information Division of A Luoi district, said: "We will continue to preserve cultural activities that have long been part of the ethnic minority community. During festivals and major events, we will recreate traditional activities. Other cultural activities, folk songs, and folk dances will be included in community tours."
80 ethnic minority festivals have been restored across Vietnam. 30 villages of 25 ethnic minority groups have received funding to promote their tradition and tourism, and a great effort is being made to engage other ethnic minority villages in tourism development.
3 central museums and 65 provincial museums have collected, inventoried, and displayed ethnic cultural heritages. 145 intangible cultural heritages of ethnic minorities have been inscribed on the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has designated April 19 as Cultural Day of Vietnamese Ethnic Minorities, conducted surveys, and organized classes to teach ethnic minority crafts.
Internal strength consolidated
The Communist Party of Vietnam champions the preservation and promotion of ethnic minority cultural values. Documents of the 8th, 9th, and 11th National Party Congresses on building an advanced Vietnamese culture that embraces national identity provide the basis for policy making. The Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress identified ways to promote Vietnam's cultural soft power by enhancing the cultural values of ethnic minorities as a top task.
The "National target program on socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountain areas in the 2021-2030 period" integrates goals and resources associated with ethnic minority culture preservation and development.
Increasing investment in the socio-economic development of ethnic minority areas and in preserving and promoting their cultural heritages is part of the Party and State's effort to protect diversity and strengthen solidarity between ethnic groups, a driving force for national growth.