The roots of sustainability lie within each family.

In the context of rapidly changing lifestyles, family traditions – the values, customs, and ways of life of Vietnamese families – are facing many challenges. The following series of interviews records the opinions of folklore researchers, cultural leaders of Tuyen Quang province, as well as citizens and young people, aiming to clarify why preserving family traditions remains a crucial foundation for maintaining identity and fostering the sustainability of each family today.

Báo Tuyên Quang•13/12/2025

The family must be a healthy cell of society.

Mr. Tong Dai Hong, Folklore Researcher

International visitors to Vietnam are always impressed by a peaceful country and its gentle, hospitable people. But few know that behind that peace lies a strong family foundation, where family values, morals, and traditional culture are preserved through generations.

In the flow of integration, as foreign cultures spread, the risk of family traditions breaking down becomes increasingly apparent. Children from ethnic minorities grow up unable to speak their mother tongue; a segment of the youth wavers in the face of deviant lifestyles and fading moral standards. But it is precisely at this time that the family becomes a pillar of support, preventing each individual from straying from their roots. Families that preserve their language, customs, and morals contribute to building a sustainable society. When each home is a healthy cell, Vietnamese identity will continue to shine. Because from each warm and peaceful home, the character, resilience, and kindness of each person are formed. The family is the source of the nation's culture and spiritual strength.

Strengthening community culture

Comrade Ma Thi Thao, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Preserving family traditions is not just about sentiment, memories, or customs, but a crucial foundation for strengthening community culture. Over the years, the "All People Unite to Build a Culturally Rich Life" movement in Tuyen Quang province has brought about significant changes: 83.2% of families have achieved the title of "Culturally Rich Family," and 83.75% of villages and residential areas have met cultural standards. Many places maintain a disciplined, harmonious, and compassionate way of life as an unwritten rule between generations.

When each family maintains its traditions, society will have a "healthy cell." This is where children learn good values and principles through shared meals; adults live responsibly; the elderly are respected; and clans maintain order and tradition; traditional rituals and moral values are naturally passed down through daily life. In the modern context, with many factors causing a "disruption" of values, building a cultured family is not a superficial movement but a core solution to preserve identity and create internal cultural strength for the sustainable development of each locality.

"The traditional family home" nurtures the soul of the Dao people.

Mr. Ly Ta Danh, Head of Nam Dam village, Quan Ba commune

The Nam Dam community tourism village in Quan Ba commune is a cultural village that meets the "ASEAN standard for houses with rooms for rent to tourists"; becoming an attractive tourist destination. One of the things that makes this a famous tourist brand is the unique rammed-earth houses of the long-robed Dao people here, which have been preserved intact.

Each traditional house embodies cultural values, representing the "soul" of the Dao people, preserving memories, rituals, language, and ways of life passed down through generations. Losing a traditional house means losing a part of the community's spiritual life. Therefore, even while developing tourism, the people still preserve their traditional house architecture. More importantly, generations of Dao people have grown up in these traditional houses, nurtured by these beautiful cultural values that have shaped their character, spirit, and national pride, enabling them to strive for a better life each day.

A strong family tradition reflects a strong character.

Mrs. Be Thi Ton, village 18, Yen Son commune

My family, spanning three generations, lives together harmoniously and maintains a strong family tradition. We were recognized by the Provincial People's Committee as a model multi-generational cultural family in Tuyen Quang province for the period 2017-2022. This is not only a source of pride but also a responsibility for me to continue preserving our family traditions. Besides caring for my elderly parents and maintaining family happiness, I have spent decades caring for my sister-in-law who suffers from mental illness. My husband and I have four children, three of whom have graduated from university and are now working stably in government agencies. I always remind myself to live a decent life so that my children and grandchildren can look up to me as role models. For me, the family is the first school – where every gesture, every thought, and every way of life of grandparents and parents becomes the first lesson for young children. For children and grandchildren to grow up to be good people, the family must be bright; bright in the way adults behave, show love, and demonstrate tolerance.

Be a companion to your child.

Vang Thi Cay, a student at the Thai Nguyen University branch in Ha Giang.

Born and raised in Sa Phin commune, a place predominantly inhabited by the Hmong ethnic group and where many customs remain outdated, I understand that children growing up here suffer disadvantages due to a lack of guidance, insufficient parental care, and sometimes even the loss of opportunities to overcome their circumstances. We are also influenced by misinformation, deviant behavior, social media, and many other temptations.

Our wish is to grow up in a peaceful "home"—a safe, healthy, and caring environment. This includes not only providing meals and a place to sleep, but also opportunities to learn, to be listened to, to be understood, and to be protected from the dangers and negative impacts of life. We believe that adults, especially our parents, are crucial role models and pillars of support. When adults uphold etiquette, cultivate habits of sharing, respect, conversation, and always accompany and guide us, our "home" will become a peaceful haven where we feel loved and protected, gaining confidence and strength to confidently move towards a bright future.

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/xa-hoi/202512/coi-re-cua-ben-vung-trong-moi-gia-dinh-ad958b9/