Chairman of Việt Nam Writers Association Nguyễn Quang Thiều. Photo qđnd.vn

Việt Nam Culture Day was designated recently, adding one more day to national holiday calendar. The decision was set out in the Politburo's Resolution 80-NQ/TW on the development of Vietnamese culture.

Chairman of the Việt Nam Writers' Association Nguyễn Quang Thiều spoke to Vietnam News Agency's Thể Thao Văn Hóa (Culture & Sports) newspaper about the significance of the day.

Could you tell us about Việt Nam Culture Day?

It gives people one more day off with full pay, enabling people to better enjoy cultural activities, encouraging artists and cultural practitioners in their work and promoting cultured and civilised lifestyles across society.

But more importantly, it arouses cultural practitioners' creativity and responsibility as well. What they contribute to the community is not only on that single day, but across all 365 days of the year.

Immediately after Resolution 80 was issued by the Politburo, the association discussed plans to organise activities in response.

We see this as an indirect assignment from the Party and the State for artists and cultural practitioners. It is a very meaningful day. I believe that it doesn't just involve cultural agencies. The entire political system, State bodies and the media must be involved as well.

Each organisation should find its own approach to promoting culture and organising cultural events and activities.

Do you think Resolution 80 is well suited to the current situation?

I believe it is an important decision at this stage, when humanity appears to be at risk of being replaced or dominated by Artificial Intelligence (AI).

In today’s world, we seem to be losing many of the cultural values of both tradition and modernity. Observing society as a whole, particularly through social media, we can see that a culture centred on humanity and traditional values like caring, sharing and empathy are gradually faded out.

While our economy continues to grow and our political system integrates more deeply into global currents, our lifestyle, way of thinking and point of view seem to be drifting away from culture.

More than ever, culture and cultural awareness must be restored, strengthened and promoted to allow positive values to spread widely.

For these reasons, Resolution 80 is both timely and necessary. Culture Day on November 24 carries symbolic significance in creating a milestone and reaffirming the core values of Vietnamese culture.

I believe that the Việt Nam Writers' Association, along with other literary and artistic associations, cultural management agencies and the entire political system, must take part in popularising Culture Day. Culture does not belong to any individual, organisation or institution alone. It belongs to the entirety of social life in contemporary Việt Nam. It is both urgent and essential.

In your opinion, why does Resolution 80 focus on the development of Vietnamese culture?

First and foremost, the Party has clearly identified culture as a key pillar of development. The Resolution reflects the Party’s and the State’s perspective on culture. I see it as one of the major policy directives, almost a command that will shape future orientations in a new era. I am confident that it will lead to significant breakthroughs in the years ahead.

November 24 serves as a symbol, highlighting one of the core tasks that ministries, sectors and agencies must implement. Literature and arts must be integrated into everyday life and disseminated widely among the public.

The mission of writers and artists is to create works worthy of their time and to bring those works to readers so that people can truly benefit from them.

This principle was clearly articulated by the Party in the 1943 Outline of Vietnamese Culture, particularly in one of its core tenets – popularisation. In my view, popularisation means that every individual, from birth, has the right to access and enjoy cultural value, beyond material benefits alone.

What needs to be done to implement Resolution 80 effectively?

The Resolution should be regarded as a directive, a mandate, a concrete action and a guiding principle. Party and State agencies, the National Assembly and all relevant institutions must take part in its implementation.

Each organisation should apply the Resolution in ways appropriate to its own functions and responsibilities.

Although the Resolution has only recently been issued, the association has already outlined a roadmap for the next few years with plans to celebrate Việt Nam Culture Day on November 24. However, our plans are not limited to that single day, but will take place throughout the entire year.

This will be realised through concrete actions, such as promoting reading culture, publishing, seminars and talk shows. — VNS