Awakening the 'soft power' of culture (Part 1)

With nearly 330 years of formation and development, Dong Nai City today is not only a "blessed land" where the cultures of many ethnic groups and regions across the country converge and intertwine, but also witnesses a strong transformation of cultural life in the rhythm of industrial development and integration. Reflecting on Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW dated January 7, 2026, of the Politburo on the development of Vietnamese culture (Resolution 80), Dong Nai City is facing a "new mission": both preserving heritage and creating modern, sustainable cultural values. This is a crucial driving force for Dong Nai's culture to become an important endogenous resource, promoting sustainable development.

Lesson 1: Dong Nai Culture in the New Flow

The implementation of a two-tiered local government model and the formation of 95 new communes and wards from July 2025 has created new momentum for Dong Nai's development towards a modern and sustainable direction.

Dong Nai's cultural identity is becoming increasingly evident in the heart of its dynamic industrial city, ready to embrace the new development opportunities of the homeland and the country. This is considered a "golden moment" for the core values ​​of its culture to be continued, creating a solid foundation for the city to enter a new era.

The process of territorial expansion by Governor-General Nguyen Huu Canh is recreated in the artistic epic "Dong Nai - The Spirit of the South, Rising with the Nation". Photo: Cong Nghia

From the “old foundation” to the “new mission”

Over two years of implementing Resolution No. 12-NQ/TU dated December 12, 2023, and Resolution No. 14-NQ/TU dated November 20, 2023, of the City Party Committee on building and developing culture and people in Dong Nai, positive changes have been made in socio-cultural life. The system of cultural institutions from urban to grassroots levels has been gradually invested in and upgraded; the movement of "All people unite to build a cultured life" has spread widely; and many traditional cultural values ​​have been restored and preserved.

Dong Nai currently has 121 classified historical sites, including 6 special national sites, 42 national sites, and 73 city-level sites, along with nearly 1,500 ordinary sites that have been inventoried. Every year, the city maintains more than 100 traditional festivals, many of which are recognized as national intangible cultural heritage, such as the Dua Tpeng (Breaking the Pond) Festival of the Khmer people; the Ba Ra Temple Festival in Phuoc Long ward; the Cau Bong Festival of the Kinh people in Dong Nai; the Ong Pagoda Festival, the commemoration ceremony of Lord Nguyen Huu Canh; and the Sayangva Festival (worshiping the Rice God) of the Choro people in Dong Nai.

The S'tieng people of Tan Hung commune reenact the Spring Festival of praying for blessings and peace. Photo: My Ny

However, in the new context, the realization of the Politburo 's Resolution 80 on the development of Vietnamese culture places higher demands on the cultural sector in Dong Nai. Culture must be the foundation, an important endogenous resource, a great driving force, a pillar, and a regulating system for rapid and sustainable development. Cultural values ​​must be closely and harmoniously integrated, deeply permeating all aspects of social life, from politics, economics, society, and the environment to national defense, security, and foreign relations, truly becoming a soft power in the new era.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Huynh Van Toi, Chairman of the Vietnam Folk Arts Association of Dong Nai City, Resolution 80 is not the starting point, but rather a step towards inheriting and elevating the Party's policies and resolutions on culture. Based on practical experience, Dong Nai is facing the need to integrate and concretize Resolution No. 12-NQ/TU and Resolution No. 14-NQ/TU into a unified and synchronized action program. This is not just a matter of management, but also a challenge in identifying and promoting the unique identity of the people of Dong Nai within the Southern key economic region.

“Dong Nai is a locality that brings together diverse cultures from many regions, religions, ethnic groups, and communities. This diversity demands a cultural foundation that is inclusive, cohesive, and respectful of differences. Especially in the context of expanding development space after implementing the two-tiered local government model, Dong Nai possesses a rich system of tangible and intangible cultural heritage. Planning according to cultural regions and forming distinctive cultural spaces is a necessary direction,” emphasized Associate Professor Dr. Huynh Van Toi.

Developing culture in the heart of an "industrial city"

In the development of an industrial city, the two groups most "lacking" in spiritual life are laborers and people in rural areas. Besides promoting awareness campaigns, Dong Nai has issued many projects and programs, and organized cultural and sports activities to serve these groups. This includes allocating land for the construction of more cultural facilities, prioritizing areas with high concentrations of workers, ethnic minorities, and border regions. This is considered a crucial foundation for creating harmonious and sustainable development.

Workers in Dong Nai city participate in cultural and sports activities to improve their spiritual lives. Photo: My Ny

Dong Nai currently has over 1.5 million workers and laborers employed in various companies and businesses, the majority of whom are migrants from different regions. This diversity creates a "new cultural space" where traditional values ​​intertwine, but it also poses a challenge in caring for the spiritual well-being of these workers.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan, a worker at Pouchen Vietnam Co., Ltd. (Bien Hoa Ward), shared: “After work, we really need cultural spaces to relax and socialize. Cultural programs and competitions help us feel cared for and more connected to our workplace and community.”