Chi Lang (Lang Son): Creating favorable conditions for people to participate in creating and enjoying cultural values.

Over the past period, the implementation of Project 6 of the National Target Program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas for the period 2021-2025 (National Target Program 1719) has provided additional resources for Chi Lang district to preserve its traditional cultural identity. Besides the positive results, there are still many limitations and difficulties that need to be addressed. Regarding this issue, we had a discussion with Mr. Hoang Duc Binh, Head of the Culture and Information Department of Chi Lang district. On the afternoon of December 23rd, at the headquarters of the Committee for Ethnic Minorities Affairs (CEMA), Deputy Minister and Vice Chairman Nong Thi Ha cordially received the delegation of influential figures from ethnic minority communities in Vinh Long province on the occasion of their working visit to Hanoi. The delegation consisted of 11 influential representatives, led by Mr. Thach Duong, Head of the Provincial Ethnic Affairs Committee. On the evening of December 22nd, during his working visit to Lao Cai, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the delegation worked with the Standing Committee of the Lao Cai Provincial Party Committee, assessing the situation and results of the implementation of socio-economic development tasks in 2024 and outlining future directions and tasks. The summary of the Ethnic and Development Newspaper's news bulletin on the afternoon of December 23rd includes the following noteworthy information: The revival of the Hai Van Pass National Monument; Beekeeping for honey production in Thanh Thinh; and Must-see destinations. Along with other current news from ethnic minority and mountainous regions: To proactively respond to Typhoon Pabuk (Typhoon No. 10), the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development sent a telegram to coastal provinces and cities from Phu Yen to Ca Mau. Ten outstanding science and technology events of 2024 are in the following fields: Policy mechanisms; Applied science and technology; Social sciences and humanities; Honoring scientists… TasteAtlas, a culinary website, has just announced the list of the 50 most worthwhile culinary cities in the world in 2024. Hue and Hanoi from Vietnam made this list. On December 23rd, the Ethnic Affairs Committee of Dak Lak province organized two training conferences to enhance knowledge for influential figures among ethnic minorities in Dak Lak province in 2024. This is a summary of news from the Ethnic Minorities and Development Newspaper. The morning news bulletin on December 21st included the following noteworthy information: Integrating folk dance into contemporary life; the potential for green tourism in Binh Thuan; a hidden gem gradually shining; and other current events in ethnic minority and mountainous regions. On the afternoon of December 23rd, at the headquarters of the Committee for Ethnic Minorities Affairs (CEMA), Deputy Minister and Vice Chairwoman Nong Thi Ha cordially received a delegation of influential figures from ethnic minority communities in Vinh Long province during their working visit to Hanoi. The delegation consisted of 11 respected representatives, led by Mr. Thach Duong, Head of the Provincial Ethnic Affairs Committee. With diverse treatment methods and long-standing experience, traditional medicine not only helps reduce the risk of disease but can also actively support the rehabilitation process for stroke patients. On December 23rd, the Border Guard Command of Soc Trang province, in coordination with Lai Hoa Secondary and High School and the People's Committee of Ward 2, Vinh Chau town, organized activities to disseminate the Vietnamese Border Guard Law to teachers, students, and officials and people in the coastal border area of ​​Vinh Chau town, Soc Trang province. In recent years, Son Duong (Tuyen Quang province) has paid attention to and encouraged the development of the collective economy, with cooperatives as the core, focusing on multi-sectoral and multi-field cooperatives, prioritizing the construction of agricultural cooperative models linked to value chains, key local products, and the OCOP program. Cooperative societies have been effective in concentrating, exploiting, and utilizing available local resources, making a positive contribution to sustainable poverty reduction. To help poor people access capital for production development, the People's Committee of Binh Gia district has directed relevant departments and units to support and create conditions for people to access preferential capital sources, especially loans from the Social Policy Bank. Accordingly, 1,686 poor people and other policy beneficiaries have received preferential loans.

Mr. Hoang Duc Binh, Head of the Culture and Information Department of Chi Lang District

PV: Could you please tell us about the implementation status of Project 6 under the National Target Program 1719 from 2021 to the present?

Mr. Hoang Duc Binh:   With its unique characteristic of having a large proportion of ethnic minorities, accounting for 84% of the population, including the Nung ethnic group at 48.9%, the Tay ethnic group at 34%, and other ethnic minorities at 1.1%, Chi Lang district faces challenges. Many cultural values ​​of these ethnic minorities, especially folk songs, are fading and at risk of being lost; cultural institutions at the grassroots level are still limited… Therefore, Chi Lang district recognizes that implementing Project 6 of the National Target Program 1719 is of great importance, contributing to the restoration, preservation, and promotion of cultural values, improving the infrastructure and cultural institutions with the goal of enhancing the spiritual life of the people and orienting culture as a driving force for tourism development in the locality.

Implementing Project 6 of the National Target Program 1719, Chi Lang district has supported the investment in the construction of three village cultural centers in communes in Zone III under a special mechanism: the Trung Tam village cultural center in Van An commune with a total amount of 471.851 million VND; the Ban Du village cultural center in Van Thuy commune with a total amount of 322 million VND; and the Coc Lung village cultural center in Bang Huu commune with a total amount of 450 million VND.

Providing equipment support for 5 village cultural centers in Bang Huu and Chien Thang communes with a total amount of 207.7 million VND; providing funding for the purchase of equipment for 9 village cultural centers in 4 communes in Zone III, in 2024 with a total amount of 259 million VND; supporting equipment and sound systems for 10 traditional performing arts groups in 3 communes: Bac Thuy (3 groups), Lien Son (3 groups), and Van An (4 groups).

From 2021-2024, Chi Lang district organized 6 classes to teach folk songs of ethnic minorities in the district: 1 class teaching Luon singing in Bang Mac commune (with 25 participants); 1 class teaching Sli singing in Chien Thang commune (with 30 participants); 2 classes teaching folk songs in Van Thuy and Chien Thang communes (Sli singing), with a total of 105 participants (mainly students aged 10-15); 1 class teaching folk songs and folk dances for folk art and culture clubs in villages of Bang Huu commune, with a total of 50 participants, including 20 secondary school students; 1 class teaching various forms of Tay and Nung ethnic folk culture in villages of Nhan Ly commune for 40 participants.

The village cultural center has received investment and is fully equipped with necessary facilities, meeting the needs for meetings and cultural and artistic exchanges, contributing to raising the level of cultural enjoyment for the people.

Providing financial support for the purchase of traditional costumes of the Tay and Nung ethnic groups for 4 traditional performing arts clubs (including 2 clubs in Van An commune and 2 clubs in Lam Son commune) with a total amount of 98 million VND. Organizing the Chi Lang District Ethnic Minority Sports Competition in 2024…

PV: How do you assess the effectiveness of the implementation of Project 6's contents in Chi Lang district?

Mr. Hoang Duc Binh: With the strong determination of the entire political system, especially the cultural sector, it can be seen that, after 4 years of implementing Project 6, the National Target Program 1719 has achieved positive results, contributing to the restoration, preservation, and promotion of traditional cultural values ​​associated with tourism development in the area.

The infrastructure and equipment of the village cultural centers have been invested in and built to meet the cultural needs of the people. These village cultural centers have been effectively utilized, creating favorable conditions for people to participate in and enjoy culture, improving the cultural and spiritual life of the people in the area, contributing to the implementation and improvement of criterion number 6 "Cultural infrastructure" in the New Rural Development program; and criterion number 16 "Culture" in the implementation of the Advanced New Rural Development program.

The training and development of human resources for culture has been carried out, thereby contributing to the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage values ​​in the district, creating a foundation for the formation of grassroots art clubs and groups; at the same time, promoting the dissemination and teaching of traditional folk songs in daily life, creating a ripple effect in the community. Through this, it contributes to promoting typical intangible cultural heritage forms of the district, serving the development of tourism and services in the locality.

Project 6 of the National Target Program 1719 is of significant importance, contributing to the restoration, preservation, and promotion of cultural values, improving the infrastructure and cultural institutions with the goal of enhancing the spiritual life of the people and orienting culture to become a driving force for local tourism development.

Also from the resources of Project 6, traditional art clubs and troupes are supported in their activities, strengthening the preservation of traditional cultural values ​​of the nation, raising the level of cultural enjoyment, and meeting the spiritual and cultural needs of the people in the area.

PV: During the implementation of Project 6 , did Chi Lang district encounter any difficulties, sir ?

Mr. Hoang Duc Binh : The allocated capital for Project 6 is limited and does not meet the actual needs of the beneficiaries in the current period. Many village cultural centers and sports fields in the district still lack equipment for activities and do not meet the current criteria for new rural development, especially in particularly disadvantaged villages.

The implementation guidelines are too general and not specific enough, leading to difficulties in the implementation of Project 6. The process of disbursing funds for the construction of village cultural centers also faces some challenges; commune-level professional staff lack the capacity to prepare cost estimates and designs, resulting in difficulties in preparing the necessary documentation for implementation.

State funding for the construction and upgrading of village cultural centers is still low. Specifically, currently, funding for the construction and repair of village cultural centers is being implemented according to Resolution No. 18/2020/NQ-HĐND of the Lang Son Provincial People's Council on the Regulations on policies to support the construction of standard village cultural centers and sports fields in communes in Lang Son province for the period 2021 - 2025; the support level for building new village cultural centers in communes in Zone III is 130 million VND/cultural center (of which 120 million VND is for new construction and 10 million VND is for equipment purchase); communes in Zone I receive support for new construction of 90 million VND (80 million VND for new construction, 10 million VND for equipment purchase). The support level for upgrading and repairing in communes in Zone III is 90 million VND/cultural center (80 million VND for repair, 10 million VND for equipment purchase). In the communes of Zone I, repairs cost 60 million VND (50 million VND for repairs, 10 million VND for purchasing equipment).

Because people's lives are still difficult, mobilizing social funding for the construction of public works in general, and village cultural centers in particular, has not been truly effective.

Therefore, Chi Lang district hopes that the competent authorities will prioritize funding support for Chi Lang district to implement the contents of Project 6 in particularly difficult communes and villages, especially those striving to achieve new rural standards, focusing on supporting the purchase of equipment for village cultural houses.

Further specific guidance is needed on providing equipment support to traditional performing arts clubs and groups, aiming to enhance the effectiveness of these clubs and groups at cultural institutions and serve the lives of the people in the area.

Thank you very much, sir!

Implementing National Target Program 1719 in Chi Lang district (Lang Son province): The poor are the decisive factor in the sustainable effectiveness of the Program.

Source: https://baodantoc.vn/chi-lang-lang-son-tao-dieu-kien-thuan-loi-cho-nguoi-dan-tham-gia-sang-tao-thu-huong-cac-gia-tri-van-hoa-1734924231944.htm