The 'Lê Quý Đôn – Cultural Figure: Heritage and Contemporary Values' national scientific conference was held in Hưng Yên Province on July 30. — VNA/VNS Photo

HƯNG YÊN — The scholarly legacy of cultural figure Lê Quý Đôn (1726–1784) remains a valuable guide for Việt Nam's nation-building and development in the new era, according to Trịnh Văn Quyết, chairman of the Party Central Committee's Commission for Communication, Education and Mass Mobilisation.

He made the remarks at a national scientific conference titled Lê Quý Đôn – Cultural Figure: Heritage and Contemporary Values held in the scholar’s hometown in Hưng Yên Province on July 30.

The conference was organised by the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences in collaboration with the Party Central Committee's Commission for Communication, Education and Mass Mobilisation, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education and Training and the Hưng Yên Province People's Committee.

It was held to honour the life, career and immense contributions of Đôn, whose recognition by UNESCO underscores the enduring vitality and value of his legacy in Việt Nam's ongoing nation-building and development.

Leaders of central and local ministries, agencies and organisations, as well as many scholars and experts, attended the event.

Participants focused their discussions on five main themes: the scholar's contributions to the study of history, geography and national sovereignty; his ideas on reform and national development; his influence on Vietnamese culture and civilisation; his patriotism and enduring relevance; and his ties to his native Hưng Yên Province and the promotion of his cultural legacy.

The discussions deepened scholarly understanding of Đôn, reaffirming his stature as a polymath and his forward-thinking intellectual approach, while shedding further light on his ideas on reform and national governance.

The conference also enriched scholarly discourse on his diplomatic thought and the historical and legal significance of his works in upholding national sovereignty, while proposing orientations for preserving and promoting his legacy amid deeper international integration.

Trịnh Văn Quyết, chairman of the Party Central Committee's Commission for Communication, Education and Mass Mobilisation. — VNA/VNS Photo

According to Quyết, Việt Nam is facing unprecedented opportunities for development, alongside considerable challenges. Achieving rapid and sustainable growth, he noted, requires further fostering patriotism, national pride and the role of culture, education, science and technology.

"By honouring our history and cherishing the legacy left by our nation's cultural figures, we can learn from Lê Quý Đôn's spirit of practical learning to acquire new knowledge, emulate his resolve in tackling emerging challenges and follow his aspirations in building a modern, integrated, innovative and developed Việt Nam, firmly grounded in the nation's thousand-year cultural and civilisational heritage," he said.

Phạm Quang Ngọc, secretary of the Hưng Yên Provincial Party Committee. — VNA/VNS Photo

Phạm Quang Ngọc, secretary of the Hưng Yên Provincial Party Committee, said Đôn's life and legacy continue to attract the attention of scholars both in Việt Nam and abroad, inspiring numerous scientific conferences and research works on his contributions.

"The conference will further deepen research into Lê Quý Đôn's life, scholarship and thought, as well as his outstanding contributions to the nation, reaffirming the enduring value of his legacy for Việt Nam's development in the new era," he noted.

Ngọc said Hưng Yên Province would take into account the scholarly opinions and recommendations put forward at the conference, while expressing hope for continued support from researchers, experts, agencies, organisations and the wider community in preserving and promoting Đôn's legacy.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lê Hoài Trung. — VNA/VNS Photo

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lê Hoài Trung said the conference had further reaffirmed Đôn as a symbol of Vietnamese intellect and the nation's spirit of self-reliance.

His vast intellectual legacy continues to inspire and provide valuable lessons for Việt Nam's nation-building efforts in the new era, Trung said.

UNESCO's adoption of a resolution to participate in commemorating the 300th anniversary of Lê Quý Đôn's birth also presents an important opportunity to promote Việt Nam's intellectual heritage, cultural identity and long-standing civilisational traditions to the world.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Việt Nam National Commission for UNESCO will work closely with Hưng Yên Province to organise an exhibition on Đôn at UNESCO headquarters in Paris this October.

The ministry also called on ministries, sectors and localities to develop coordinated plans for activities marking the anniversary. — VNS