Scientific workshop on promoting cultural heritage values in the hometown of writer Nam Cao

The scientific conference is part of the activities of the Ha Nam Culture and Tourism Week 2025; towards the 110th anniversary of the birth of writer-martyr Nam Cao (October 29, 1915 - October 29, 2025).

Writer Nam Cao's real name is Tran Huu Tri, born on October 29, 1915 in Dai Hoang village, Cao Da commune, Nam Sang district, Ly Nhan prefecture (now Hoa Hau commune, Ly Nhan district, Ha Nam province). He was both a famous writer and a staunch revolutionary soldier, posthumously awarded the Ho Chi Minh Prize for literature and art by the State (1996).

His works such as: Chi Pheo, Song Mon, Doi Mat, Nuo Dem ... sharply reflect social reality, while vividly depicting cultural memories of Vietnamese villages.

Many researchers attended to contribute papers and exchange opinions.

The scientific conference attracted more than 50 presentations from experts, researchers and cultural managers across the country. The conference focused on three main topics: Literary values of writer Nam Cao; Cultural-heritage space in Nam Cao’s homeland; cultural-literary tourism and sustainable development.

The workshop was organized through two main working sessions. Thematic session 1: The current status of protecting and promoting the value of cultural heritage in the hometown of writer Nam Cao associated with tourism development, including general reports on the system of local tangible and intangible cultural heritage, the ideological and artistic values in the works of writer Nam Cao, the current status of heritage exploitation and management associated with tourism development.

The second session, themed "Solutions to protect and promote the value of cultural heritage in the hometown of writer Nam Cao associated with sustainable tourism development", focused on creative tourism models; policies linking the state, businesses, and communities, applying technology, improving the quality of human resources, and attracting investment for heritage tourism.

The discussions focused on affirming: Since the works of writer Nam Cao were published and introduced to the public from the first half of the 20th century until now, his hometown has been known by many readers and tourists as the land of unique tangible cultural values such as Dai Hoang temple and the memorial area of writer - martyr Nam Cao.

This is also a land that preserves a rich intangible cultural treasure through traditional customs and festivals, especially folk knowledge about cuisine with the famous braised fish dish of Vu Dai village.

The harmonious combination of these tangible and intangible heritages creates a colorful tourism picture, promising to bring visitors authentic and profound experiences of culture, history and human life in the lowland. If effectively exploiting cultural values, it will contribute to promoting the local economy, preserving and promoting the unique cultural identity of the rich and diverse region.

Concluding the workshop, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Phuong, Director of the Vietnam Institute of Culture, Arts, Sports and Tourism affirmed: Ha Nam province in general and Ly Nhan district in particular are lands rich in tradition, with generations of ancestors leaving behind a treasure trove of extremely valuable and rich cultural heritage. In particular, Nam Cao's career stands out as a special cultural heritage, increasingly spreading and becoming known to many people across the country, as well as international friends.

Director of the Vietnam Institute of Culture, Arts, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Thi Thu Phuong speaks at the conference

In the intersection of tradition and modernity, Ly Nhan land with its old thatched roofs, the gentle Chau river and Dai Hoang village with the fragrant smell of kitchen smoke is also a vibrant artistic space, where writer Nam Cao sowed the seeds for his immortal literary works.

"The images, such as Chi Pheo, Thi No, Lao Hac... in the works of writer Nam Cao not only exist in the pages of books but have transformed into the identity and consciousness of an entire countryside, contributing to depicting the depth of humanity of the Vietnamese people...", Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Phuong emphasized.

The tomb, Nam Cao Memorial Area, Dai Hoang village (now Hoa Hau commune, Ly Nhan district) and the entire living and working space of him have left their mark and contain many profound values in history, culture, society, education and art. This is a vivid symbol, reflecting the unique cultural identity of the Vietnamese community in the Northern Delta region, as well as the people in Ly Nhan, Ha Nam.

The scientific conference was organized with the main objective of comprehensively assessing the potential and value of Nam Cao's literary heritage and the cultural heritage of his homeland. From there, practical and sustainable solutions were proposed to effectively protect and promote these values, while closely linking them with the tourism development strategy.

This is also an important scientific forum where scientists, managers and the community come together to discuss, share experiences and provide strategic directions. The ultimate goal is to effectively exploit the cultural and literary heritage of Nam Cao and his homeland, contributing to the overall socio-economic development of Ha Nam province and especially Ly Nhan district.

The new issue in the workshop is reflected in the connection of literary heritage with the sustainable development model: from the orientation of developing cultural-literary tourism corridors; applying cultural industry in communication and education; developing experiential literary tours; to integrating conservation with community livelihoods.

Some studies have boldly proposed models for digitizing literary heritage, ecological museums, and building creative products from Nam Cao’s characters and works. In particular, approaching Nam Cao’s works from the perspective of children’s literature, designing literary gift products, or building museums in a modern form inspired by international experience are all new and practical research suggestions.

The workshop contributed to spreading new awareness about the role of cultural heritage in local sustainable development; connecting researchers, managers, businesses and the community, thereby activating endogenous motivations from heritage resources.

Honoring writer and martyr Nam Cao is not only an important and meaningful cultural event for the culture of Ha Nam province, but also an opportunity to affirm the position of Vietnamese cultural heritage in the flow of global integration. The presentations and opinions at the workshop have proposed many practical, creative and effective solutions to turn Nam Cao's cultural heritage into an important resource serving the sustainable development of the writer's homeland.

Thuy Phuong

Source: https://nhandan.vn/hoi-thao-khoa-hoc-ve-phat-huy-gia-tri-di-san-van-hoa-tren-que-huong-nha-van-nam-cao-post888446.html