Dong Nai culture: 80 years of accompanying the nation.

(CTT-Dong Nai) - From a land deeply rooted in the history of the southern expansion, Dong Nai has affirmed its position not only as a key industrial and economic center, but also as a "fertile land" of unique cultural values.

The Dong Nai Cultural and Film Center will perform arts shows for the people of communes and wards in the province, August 2025. Photo: My Ny

Over 80 years of formation and development, the cultural sector of Dong Nai has continuously strived, overcome difficulties, and fulfilled its pioneering mission on the cultural front, continuing the guiding principle and contributing to building a comprehensively developed Dong Nai people and improving the spiritual life of the people.

Investing in culture

Immediately after the August Revolution of 1945, the Bien Hoa Party Committee focused on building a revolutionary culture. In 1947, the Bien Hoa Department of Culture and Information was established, organizing newspapers, printing, and building a performing arts troupe to serve the Zone D war zone and the temporarily occupied areas. Despite shortages of food and resources, the department's cadres, artists, and performers simultaneously served the arts and participated in production, becoming a vanguard force on the cultural and ideological front, boosting morale, strengthening faith, and enhancing the fighting spirit of the army and people during the two resistance wars.

Following the complete liberation of South Vietnam and the reunification of the country (April 30, 1975), Dong Nai province quickly established the Department of Culture and Information and the Department of Physical Education and Sports (now the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism), laying the foundation for building a new culture, linked to the task of building and defending the Fatherland. With many diverse and rich activities, the cultural sector of Dong Nai has harnessed the strength of the masses, stimulating widespread cultural, artistic, and sports movements, creating conditions for the people to create many new cultural values.

According to Le Thi Ngoc Loan, Provincial Party Committee member and Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism: Since the 6th National Party Congress, Dong Nai has entered a period of comprehensive reform, and its socio-cultural life has also taken on a new appearance. The movement of "All people unite to build a cultured life" has been widely implemented, becoming an important driving force in building a healthy cultural environment, linked with patriotic emulation movements. Cultural institutions have been invested in from the provincial level to the grassroots, and many have become symbols of Dong Nai's culture, contributing to improving the cultural and spiritual life of the people.

Simultaneously, Dong Nai province is focused on preserving and promoting cultural heritage, especially by accelerating the restoration and preservation of historical sites. Currently, the province has 119 historical sites, including many special national-level sites such as: the Headquarters of the Southern Vietnam Liberation Army (Ta Thiet Base, Loc Thanh commune); the VK98 fuel tank and depot (located on the Truong Son - Ho Chi Minh Trail, Loc Quang commune); the VK96 fuel tank and depot (located on the Truong Son - Ho Chi Minh Trail, Bu Gia Map commune); the Hang Gon megalithic tomb (Hang Gon commune); Cat Tien National Park (Ta Lai commune)...

Traditional festivals in the province are maintained and organized annually, with many being listed as National Intangible Cultural Heritage. Specifically: the Dua Tpeng (pond breaking) festival of the Khmer people in Loc Hung commune; the Mieu Ba Ra festival in Phuoc Long ward; the Cau Bong festival of the Kinh people in Binh Phuoc; the Ong Pagoda festival in Tran Bien ward; the Sayangva (rice god worship) festival of the Choro people in Dong Nai… All of these create a rich and distinctive cultural landscape of Dong Nai.

Over the past 80 years, alongside significant progress in the cultural field, Dong Nai has always considered family affairs as the foundation and solid support for building a new generation of people and developing a sustainable society. Many projects, programs, and action plans have been issued and effectively implemented. Movements such as "exemplary grandparents and parents," "filial children and grandchildren," and "cultural families" have spread widely, becoming a driving force in building a healthy cultural environment and promoting the role of the family in shaping character and preserving national cultural identity amidst the wave of integration.

Dong Nai culture in the new rhythm of life.

According to Tran Duc Hoa, Chairman of the People's Committee of Binh Minh Commune, although cultural institutions in the commune have faced difficulties in terms of infrastructure in recent times, their activities have been relatively effective. Many arts and sports clubs are active, participating in competitions and performances at all levels and achieving positive results. In the new context, the locality continues to pay attention to cultural development, both inheriting traditional values ​​and innovating to meet the needs of the people.

According to Mr. Tran Quang Toai, Chairman of the Dong Nai Provincial Historical Science Association: The intermingling and convergence of many cultural streams has created a vibrant and rich cultural identity for Dong Nai. Throughout history, the pioneering role of culture in uniting communities, fostering patriotism, and inspiring aspirations for development is clearly evident. The important thing now is for Dong Nai to have appropriate mechanisms to invest in and develop culture to its full potential. This will help preserve, protect, and promote traditional cultural values, while simultaneously promoting the image of Dong Nai as a dynamic, creative, and integrated province.

The year 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the formation and development of the culture, sports, and tourism sector in Dong Nai. Throughout various historical periods, Dong Nai's culture has continuously inherited, innovated, and disseminated its unique values. This is an important foundation for the province to continue building and developing Dong Nai's culture and people comprehensively.

From a state management perspective, Provincial Party Committee member and Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Le Thi Ngoc Loan, stated: In the coming time, Dong Nai's cultural sector will focus on improving the effectiveness of state management, clearly defining the responsibilities of each level and sector, and ensuring uniformity in the organization and implementation of cultural policies. Simultaneously, the province will continue to invest in and standardize the system of cultural institutions, gradually forming a modern network of public cultural services that are suitable to local characteristics and meet the increasingly high demands of the people.

Furthermore, Dong Nai places special emphasis on preserving and promoting heritage values, prioritizing the restoration and rehabilitation of typical historical and cultural relics, serving both traditional education and the development of tourism and the local economy. In addition, the sector will develop distinctive cultural products, leveraging existing advantages and promoting the application of modern technology; at the same time, it will strongly mobilize social resources to build cultural projects of a worthy caliber, contributing to the continued spread and sustainable development of Dong Nai's culture.

Source: https://dongnai.gov.vn/vi/news/van-hoa-dong-nai/van-hoa-dong-nai-80-nam-dong-hanh-cung-dan-toc-55404.html