Directive No. 14/1998/CT-TTg On Implementing Civilized Customs in Weddings, Funerals, and Festivals

DIRECTIVE

On implementing civilized practices in weddings, funerals, and festivals.

On January 12, 1998, the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Party issued Directive No. 27/CT-TW on "Implementing Civilized Practices in Weddings, Funerals, and Festivals."

To strictly implement the directives of the Political Bureau, the Prime Minister requests all sectors and levels to develop plans and organize specific activities to effectively implement this movement with the main contents as follows:

1. Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, agencies under the Government, People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities shall proactively coordinate with the Vietnam Fatherland Front, mass organizations, and social organizations at various levels, within their respective responsibilities and authorities, to develop concrete programs and plans suitable to local realities and implement them down to the grassroots level; consider this as a key task over many years to build civilized, progressive, and richly national cultural practices.

2. Strengthen the Steering Committee for Cultural Practices in each locality, with the Deputy Chairman of the People's Committee serving as the Chairperson, the Director of the Culture and Information Department as the Vice-Chairperson, and representatives from the Vietnam Fatherland Front invited to participate, along with representatives from some relevant departments, mass organizations, and social organizations. The Office of the Steering Committee shall be located at the Culture and Information Department.

3. Ministries, sectors, and provincial and centrally governed city People's Committees need to immediately undertake the following actions:

3.1. The Ministry of Culture and Information shall take the lead in coordinating with relevant ministries, departments, and mass organizations to develop plans to guide the implementation of this movement; pay particular attention to propaganda work, showcasing good people and deeds, and strictly handling organizations and individuals violating traditional customs.

3.2. The Ministry of Health shall take the lead in coordinating with relevant ministries and sectors to guide the maintenance of hygiene in burials, exhumations, and the relocation of remains; rigorously inspect epidemic prevention measures at festivals and funerals, preventing environmental pollution and the spread of infectious diseases.

3.3. The Ministry of Justice shall take the lead in coordinating with relevant ministries and sectors to guide the enforcement of laws related to weddings, funerals, and festivals.

3.4. News agencies, radio stations, television stations, information services, cultural and artistic organizations shall regularly have programs to promote and encourage the public to implement this movement.

4. It is requested that the Vietnam Fatherland Front, mass organizations, and social organizations participate in organizing and implementing this movement and integrate it into the "All-Voluntary Movement for Building a New Life in Rural Areas" launched by the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee.

5. The Minister of Culture and Information, ministers of ministerial-level agencies, heads of agencies under the Government, Chairpersons of provincial and centrally governed city People's Committees are responsible for enforcing this Directive.