Ministry of Culture responds to local construction of welcome gates, monuments, and large reliefs

A gate with violations, once requested to be dismantled in Kon Tum City, reported by Tuoi Tre newspaper in 2022 - Photo: TRAN VAN

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has responded to the petition of voters of Dong Nai province sent before the 6th session of the 15th National Assembly.

There is a situation of monuments being built without planning and placed in the wrong location.

Accordingly, voters proposed to review the movement to build cultural families. Currently, a lot of money is still spent on this movement.

Meanwhile, floods, school facilities, especially in remote areas, are deteriorating, people's lives are extremely difficult due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, in some localities the cost of building welcome gates, monuments, and reliefs is very large.

Responding to this content, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung said that the emulation and building of cultural families across the country aims to motivate, attract and encourage all individuals, groups and households to promote the tradition of patriotism.

Along with that is solidarity, innovation, dynamism, creativity to strive to fulfill tasks well, achieve the best results in building and defending the Fatherland for the goal of a rich people, strong country, democracy, fairness, civilization as stipulated in the Law on Emulation and Commendation.

According to the ministry's leaders, the budget for emulation activities has been specifically regulated in legal documents on emulation and rewards and is balanced and guaranteed by the People's Committees of provinces and cities according to the actual situation in the locality.

By building fine art works (monuments, panoramic paintings) to mark historical events, political and cultural events, the ministry believes that it contributes positively to educating traditional culture and serving the spiritual life of the people.

At the same time, the need to beautify urban architectural space with fine art works in the urbanization process is an inherent need of a developing society.

According to the ministry's leaders, since 2013, the Government has issued Decree 113/2013 on fine arts activities, which clearly stipulates the fine arts management agency, fine arts funding in cultural, sports and tourism projects... under the responsibility of local authorities.

After the decree was issued, effective from December 1, 2013, the Ministry of Information and Communications reported that very few provinces/cities implemented the task of planning monuments and large-scale paintings at the provincial level, leading to the situation of monuments being built without planning, placed in the wrong location, and not suitable for the environmental landscape... occurring in some localities.

Based on legal regulations, practical situations, reports from localities on the results of 10 years of implementing Decree 113 and synthesizing and reviewing the contents of detailed instructions on outdoor art works, the Ministry has completed the proposal dossier and amended this Decree.

Currently, we are widely soliciting opinions from ministries, branches, localities, relevant organizations, businesses and people, and are expected to submit to the Government in the third quarter of 2024.

Handling of foreign mascots and strange artifacts at relics

Voters in Lam Dong province raised the issue of organizing traditional festivals, currently there are no regulations or guidelines on activities to introduce the origin of the festival, relics and characters worshiped and honored.

As well as regulations, instructions do not accept and bring foreign mascots and strange artifacts that are not suitable for Vietnamese customs into relic and worship sites... Therefore, management work encounters many difficulties.

From there, voters proposed that the ministry consider and issue specific regulations for the above activities.

Responding to this, Minister Nguyen Van Hung said that Decree 110 of the Government on festival management and organization has specific regulations on festival organization and introduction activities and responsibilities of units.

In particular, it is stipulated that the People's Committees of provinces and cities are responsible for organizing and guiding the implementation of legal regulations on festival activities in the locality, ensuring that festival activities are conducted solemnly and in accordance with traditional rituals.

Eliminate or replace customs that are no longer suitable for integration and development trends.

For festivals held at historical and cultural relics, measures must be taken to protect relics and scenic spots according to regulations.

From there, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism requested the Provincial People's Committee to direct agencies to coordinate management, organization, and ensure that festival activities are conducted solemnly and in accordance with traditional rituals.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/bo-van-hoa-phan-hoi-viec-dia-phuong-xay-cong-chao-tuong-dai-phu-dieu-lon-20240224102149408.htm