Promoting the role of culture in development policies at the national, regional and international levels

Young people make a significant contribution to promoting and fostering cultural diversity.

On September 16th, at the 9th Global Young Parliamentarians Conference, during a thematic discussion on "Promoting Respect for Cultural Diversity for Sustainable Development," National Assembly Representative Trinh Xuan An, a full-time member of the National Assembly's Committee on National Defense and Security, stated that cultural diversity is a decisive factor in the richness and abundance of cultural resources, thereby increasing opportunities for economic development and creating prosperity for each nation.

In the context of globalization, nations need to continue preserving and promoting their own cultural identities, respecting each other's cultural diversity, and sharing, refining, and promoting the common cultural essence of humanity for mutual development.

Promoting the role of culture in development policies at the national, regional, and international levels (Figure 1) — National Assembly delegate Trinh Xuan An, a full-time member of the National Assembly's Committee on National Defense and Security, delivered a speech at the 9th Global Young Parliamentarians Conference.

Ensuring the principle of mutual respect will lead nations and cultures to cooperate, dialogue, build trust, and share in order to coexist and develop, instead of creating conflicts and contradictions. Because of this significance, it can be seen that by promoting respect for cultural diversity, we will together build a universal culture – a culture of diversity.

According to National Assembly representative Trinh Xuan An, in this overarching context and orientation, young people are a force that makes a significant contribution to promoting and developing cultural diversity.

In Vietnam, as of 2020, the youth population accounted for approximately 24% of the total population. Most members of this group are considered digital natives, characterized by their ability to quickly apply and master science and technology, their abundant creativity, their fresh perspectives on cultural issues, and their greater openness to new ideas.

Promoting the role of culture in development policies at the national, regional, and international levels (Figure 2) — Overview of the Conference, September 16th.

Therefore, as in other countries around the world, we have been witnessing the increasing emergence of modern cultural products in various forms such as music, film, and literature, created by Vietnamese youth based on traditional cultural materials. Young people are also pioneers in experimenting with and creating new forms and practices of culture, such as digital art and media art. Our cultural heritage is becoming richer thanks to the active contributions of young people.

National parliaments need to develop inclusive policy frameworks for young people.

National Assembly representative Trinh Xuan An pointed out that, in order for the strengths of young people to be maximized and to contribute positively to promoting cultural diversity, building and perfecting a policy framework and creating favorable conditions for youth activities is crucial. National Assemblies of countries need to play a leading role in building a new governance model and an inclusive policy framework for young people.

Promoting the role of culture in development policies at the national, regional, and international levels (Figure 3) — Vietnamese delegates attend the 9th Global Young Parliamentarians Conference.

National Assembly representative Trinh Xuan An recommended that policymakers should incorporate the universal principles of cultural diversity as a guiding philosophy in their relationship with young people. Through cooperation and open dialogue, young people should be fully involved in the planning and implementation of policies that directly affect their lives. In particular, the diverse values, expressions, and aspirations of various groups or subcultures within the broad youth population need to be comprehensively communicated and taken into account in the policy planning and implementation process.

The goal of the governance model and policy framework we are striving for is to create a friendly, open, and livable environment for all, especially to encourage young people to be creative, share, learn, and respect one another.

Promoting the role of culture in development policies at the national, regional, and international levels (Figure 4) — Algerian MP attends the 9th Global Young Parliamentarians Conference.

According to National Assembly Representative Trinh Xuan An, national parliaments should affirm the role of culture as a pillar of sustainable development and implement the United Nations 2030 Agenda, promoting the role of culture in development policies at the national, regional, and international levels. They should commit to protecting and promoting cultural diversity; creating a favorable environment and ecosystem for culture and cultural diversity; affirming the role of the creative economy and cultural industries; and developing a system of cities within the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. They should also affirm the role of culture and cultural diversity in addressing current challenges facing humanity, especially climate change and combating the illegal trafficking and transportation of cultural assets.

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