Circular No. 15/2015/TT-BVHTTDL on organizing festivals

CIRCULAR

Regulations on organizing festivals

__________

Pursuant to Decree No. 103/2009/NĐ-CP dated November 6, 2009 of the Government promulgating the Rules on Cultural Activities and Public Cultural Service Business Operations;

Pursuant to Decree No. 76/2013/NĐ-CP dated July 16, 2013, promulgated by the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism;

At the proposal of the Director of the Department of Cultural Institutions,

AND trThe Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism issues this Circular to regulate the organization of festivals.ẽ into society.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

Article 1. This Circular provides detailed regulations on certain provisions regarding the organization of festivals under the Regulation on Cultural Activities and Public Cultural Service Business issued together with Decree No. 103/2009/NĐ-CP dated November 6, 2009 of the Government (hereinafter referred to as the Cultural Activity Regulation).

Article 2. The organization of the Ancestral Commemoration Festival - Hung Temple Festival shall be carried out in accordance with Decree No. 145/2013/NĐ-CP dated October 29, 2013 of the Government on the organization of commemorative days; awarding and receiving commendation forms and titles; diplomatic ceremonies and welcoming foreign guests and other related provisions.

Article 2. Applicability

This Circular applies to organizations and individuals in Vietnam; organizations and individuals from foreign countries related to festival activities in Vietnam.

Article 3. Types of Festivals

Types of festivals prescribed in Clause 1, Article 17 of the Cultural Activity Regulation include:

1. Folk festivals are festivals organized to honor those who have made contributions to the country and community; worshiping deities, traditional symbols, and other folk religious activities that represent valuable traditional historical, cultural, and social moral values.

2. Historical and revolutionary festivals are festivals organized to honor historical figures and events.

3. Cultural, sports, and tourism festivals are festivals organized to promote culture, sports, and tourism including: festivals, cultural and sports exchanges, cultural and sports weeks, cultural and tourism weeks, cultural and tourism months, cultural and tourism years, and other cultural, sports, and tourism festivals.

4. Foreign-origin festivals held in Vietnam are festivals organized by Vietnamese organizations or foreign organizations legally operating in Vietnam to introduce the fine cultural values of their countries to the Vietnamese public.

Article 4. Requirements for Festival Content

1. Ceremonies must be conducted solemnly, based on preserving and promoting fine traditional cultural values, eliminating or replacing outdated customs.

2. The festival program must ensure fun, healthy, diverse formats suitable for the scale, nature, and characteristics of the festival; encouraging the organization of traditional folk cultural and artistic activities.

3. Implement the provisions of Article 3 of the Cultural Activity Regulation, not organizing festivals with the following contents:

a) Inciting violence, spreading criminal acts including activities that may depict scenes contrary to the traditional love of peace and humanity of the Vietnamese people, specifically:

- Depicting scenes of stabbing, punching, beating brutally.

- Depicting gruesome, terrifying scenes.

- Depicting scenes of criminals enjoying their crimes.

- Depicting other criminal acts.

b) Superstitious practices that deceive others, contrary to nature, causing negative impacts on perception, including:

- Exorcism rituals, healing through sorcery.

- Mediumship, fortune-telling, divination, geomancy, spreading prophecies, charms, benefiting oneself at the expense of others through curses.

- Other superstitious practices.

Chapter II

SPECIFIC PROVISIONS

Article 5. Issuance of Festival Organization Permit festival association

1. The authority and procedures for issuing a festival organization permit shall be implemented in accordance with the provisions of Article 18 of the Cultural Activities Regulation.

2. Festivals that do not require a permit to organize shall be implemented in accordance with the provisions of Article 19 of the Cultural Activities Regulation.

Article 6. Festival Organizing Committee

1. When organizing a festival, agencies and organizations must establish a Festival Organizing Committee, except in cases where the festival originates from abroad and is organized by foreign organizations.

2. The composition of the Festival Organizing Committee includes representatives from the local government, cultural and sports tourism sector, public security, health, transportation, natural resources and environment, information and communication, religion, and the United Front; representatives from mass organizations or other individuals related to the organization of the festival.

3. The Festival Organizing Committee is responsible for managing and directing the festival according to the announced program or the approved program; promoting and guiding the people to perform traditional rituals of the festival, implementing civilized behavior; ensuring order, safety, and security during the festival.

Article 7. Reporting on Festival Organization||| festival organization reporti

1. Pre-organization report for festivals that do not require a permit under the provisions of Article 19 of the Cultural Activities Regulation:

a) At least 30 working days before the festival date, the organizing agency sends a written report directly or through postal service to the competent authority as follows:

- Report to the District Culture and Information Office for festivals directly managed by the commune level;

- Report to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Department of Culture and Sports) for festivals directly managed by the district level;

- Report to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for festivals directly managed by the provincial level.

b) The report must clearly state: time, location, content, and program/script of the festival (if applicable); decision on establishment and list of members of the Festival Organizing Committee.

c) The competent authority on culture, sports, and tourism, upon receiving the report, has the responsibility to direct, guide, and inspect the implementation.

2. Post-organization report:

a) Within 10 working days from the end of the festival, the Festival Organizing Committee is responsible for submitting a written report on management and organization work to the competent authority as stipulated in point a, Clause 1 of this Article.

b) The report content includes: leadership and direction work; organization and implementation work; evaluation of strengths, weaknesses, and causes; recommendations and proposals.

Article 8. Implementation of Civilized Behavior in Festivals

Organizations and individuals, when organizing or participating in festivals, have the responsibility to comply with regulations on civilized behavior and the following provisions:

1. In the festival area, the national flag must be hung in a solemn place, higher than the festival flag and religious flags; only the festival flag and religious flags may be hung at the festival site and during the festival period.

2. Adhere strictly to the internal rules and regulations of the Festival Organizing Committee; offerings, donations, and oil drops must be placed in designated locations by the Festival Organizing Committee and Heritage Management Board; do not throw money into wells, ponds, lakes, attach money to statues or Buddha hands, and refrain from performing other inappropriate actions.

3. Wear appropriate and respectful attire suitable to local customs and traditions.

4. Behave culturally during festival activities; do not use vulgar language or insult spiritual beliefs, which would negatively impact the solemn atmosphere of the festival.

5. Ensure order and security when attending the festival.

6. Implement regulations on environmental sanitation.

7. Offer incense and burn joss paper according to the regulations of the Festival Organizing Committee and Heritage Management Board.

8. Do not exchange money to take advantage of price differences within heritage sites and festivals; strictly implement Decree No. 96/2014/NĐ-CP dated October 17, 2014 of the Government on administrative penalties in the field of currency and banking.

Article 9. Organization of service activities in festival areas

The organization of service activities in festival areas must comply with relevant legal provisions, specifically as follows:

1. Business establishments providing catering services, restaurants, hotels, and facilities serving festival participants must ensure they do not encroach upon the premises of cultural relics, facilitate convenience, and not obstruct traffic within the festival area as prescribed by law.

2. Prices must be posted, goods sold at correct prices, no solicitation or price gouging; no sale of violent toys, fresh meat, or wild animal meat as stipulated by law.

3. Service business establishments must ensure conditions for business operations as prescribed by law and strictly adhere to internal regulations of the Festival Organizing Committee and the Relic Management Board.

4. No sale of festival tickets or collection of festival fees. Within relic areas and festivals, if games, performances, or art exhibitions are organized, tickets may be sold for such service activities according to legal provisions.

Article 10. Management, Collection, and Expenditure of Donations and Fundsnational

The person in charge (head monk), Festival Organizing Committee, and Relic Management Board must have methods for collecting, receiving, managing, and using donations and funds raised from socialized sources and sponsorships to organize festivals in a transparent manner, maintain clear records, and expend funds for their intended purposes as specified in Circular Joint No. 04/2014/TTLT-BVHTTDL-BNV dated May 30, 2014, issued by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Home Affairs on guiding civilized living habits at religious and belief sites, and other related financial regulations.

Article 11. Propaganda during Festivals

1. The Festival Organizing Committee is responsible for promoting and introducing the historical significance of the festival, educating about the nation's fine traditions through signage and other forms of propaganda.

2. For large-scale festivals that last several days and attract many participants, the Festival Organizing Committee must hold meetings to announce organizational plans and provide complete and accurate information to the press as required by law.

Article 12. Ensuring Environmental Sanitation, Security, Order, Fire Prevention, and Traffic Safety during Festivals, amended and supplemented by Decree No. 109/2025/NĐ-CP and Decree No. 193/2025/NĐ-CP1. Ensuring environmental sanitation during festivals shall be carried out in accordance with Circular Joint No. 19/2013/TTLT-BVHTTDL-BTNMT dated December 30, 2013, issued by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on guiding environmental protection in tourism activities, festival organization, and relic preservation, as well as other legal provisions regarding civilized public behavior.

2. Organizations and units organizing festivals are responsible for ensuring security, order, fire prevention, and traffic safety during festivals as prescribed by law.

Article 13. Responsibilities of Agencies and Units under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Chapter III

IMPLEMENTATION

1. Department of Cultural Bases:

a) Guide, inspect, and monitor the implementation of legal provisions on festival organization and this Circular;

b) Organize training and capacity building for localities on management and organization of festivals;

c) Summarize, evaluate, and report annually to the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism on the situation of festival management and organization nationwide.

2. The Inspectorate of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is responsible for inspecting, supervising, and handling violations concerning festival management and organization within its authority.

3. Agencies and units under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, based on their assigned functions and tasks, are responsible for coordinating with the Department of Cultural Bases and relevant agencies to conduct inspections, guidance, and monitoring of compliance with laws on festivals and this Circular.

3. Agencies and units under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, based on their assigned functions and tasks, shall be responsible for coordinating with the Grassroots Cultural Service Department and relevant agencies to carry out inspections, guidance, and monitoring of the implementation of laws related to festivals and this Circular.

Article 14. Responsibilities of the Provincial People's Committeeệof the People's Committee Personnel of the provincial People's Committee,ealth roadNo. under the central government

1. Direct the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Department of Culture and Sports), the People's Committees at the district level to implement and guide the implementation of legal provisions on festivals and this Circular within their respective jurisdictions.

2. Delegate management levels for festival organizing activities within their jurisdiction; decide on the scale, time, frequency of organization, and guest attendance at festivals to ensure economy, avoid ostentation and waste, and limit the use of state budget funds in accordance with legal provisions; directly bear responsibility for any shortcomings or weaknesses in the management and organization of festivals in their locality.

3. Direct local agencies, sectors, mass organizations to strengthen coordination with the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Department of Culture and Sports) in the work of managing and organizing festivals within their jurisdiction.

4. Organize inspections and checks on compliance with legal provisions regarding the management and organization of festivals within their jurisdiction; handle violations within their authority or refer to competent authorities to handle violations according to legal provisions.

Article 15. Responsibilities of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Department of Culture and Sports)t s of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Department of Culture and Sports)

1. Advise and assist the provincial People's Committee to implement the provisions of Article 14 of this Circular.

2. Inspect the work of managing and organizing festivals, protecting and promoting the value of relics within their jurisdiction, handle or refer to competent authorities to handle violations according to legal provisions.

3. Train staff on the management and organization of festivals for organizations and individuals participating in festival organization.

4. Advise and propose the invitation and assignment of leaders to attend festivals in accordance with legal provisions.

5. Regularly report annually (before November 30) on the work of managing and organizing festivals to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Bureau of Grassroots Cultural Affairs) and the provincial People's Committee; implement ad hoc reports as required by competent authorities.

Article 16. Implementation Provisions

1. This Circular takes effect from February 5, 2016.

2. Issue the following forms pursuant to this Circular:

a) Application for Festival Organization Permit: Form No. 01;

b) Festival Organization Permit: Form No. 02.

3. From the date this Circular takes effect, Decision No. 39/2001/QĐ-BVHTT dated August 23, 2001 of the Ministry of Culture and Information promulgating the Festival Organization Regulations and the provisions on festival organization in Circular No. 04/2009/TT-BVHTTDL dated December 16, 2009 of the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism detailing the implementation of certain provisions in the Cultural Activities and Public Cultural Service Business Regulations issued together with Decree No. 103/2009/NĐ-CP dated November 6, 2009 of the Government shall cease to be effective.

During the implementation of this Circular, if there are any difficulties, please promptly reflect them to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Bureau of Grassroots Cultural Affairs) for consideration and adjustment.