Decision No. 308/2005/QD-TTg Issuing the Code of Conduct for Civilized Practices in Weddings, Funerals, and Festivals

DECISION OF THE PRIME MINISTER

Issuing Regulations on Implementing Civilized Customs

in Weddings, Funerals, and Festivals

PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Government Organization dated December 21, 2001;

At the proposal of the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism,

DECISION:

Article 1. These Regulations on Implementing Civilized Customs in Weddings, Funerals, and Festivals are hereby issued together with this Decision.

Article 2. The Standard Measurement Quality Control Department shall be responsible for organizing and guiding the implementation of the Regulations adopted herein.

Article 3. The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall be responsible for guiding the implementation of these Regulations.

Article 4. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government agencies, and Chairpersons of Provincial People's Committees and Municipal People's Committees directly under the Central Government shall be responsible for enforcing this Decision.

REGULATIONS

IMPLEMENTING CIVILIZED CUSTOMS
IN WEDDINGS, FUNERALS AND FESTIVALS

(Issued together with Decision No. 308/2005/QĐ-TTg

dated November 25, 2005 of the Prime Minister)

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1.

1. These Regulations stipulate the implementation of civilized customs in weddings, funerals, and festivals.

2. State officials, civil servants, and employees in state agencies, public institutions, state-owned enterprises; political organizations, political-social organizations, social-professional organizations; officers, professional soldiers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers in units under the armed forces (People's Army and Public Security Force) must set an example in implementing these Regulations and have the responsibility to mobilize their families and community residents to implement them.

3. Every citizen's family has the responsibility to implement civilized customs in weddings, funerals, and festivals.

Article 2. Organizing weddings, funerals, and festivals must ensure:

1. Not violating ethnic customs and traditions; not engaging in superstitious activities such as fortune-telling, divination, dice rolling, witchcraft, exorcism, and other superstitious practices.

2. Not disrupting public order and social security; not using it to illegally propagate religions and engage in activities that divide national solidarity.

3. Not hindering traffic and public activities.

4. Not organizing or participating in gambling in any form.

5. Maintaining quietness and limiting noise at night.

6. The subjects specified in Clause 2, Article 1 of these Regulations shall not invite or attend wedding banquets during working hours; shall not use working time, public funds, and agency, unit, or organization vehicles to attend festivals without official duties.

7. Not taking advantage of weddings and funerals to accept gifts for personal gain; using public funds from agencies, units, or organizations to purchase wedding gifts or funeral condolences for personal purposes.

Chapter II

SPECIFIC PROVISIONS

Section 1

ORGANIZING WEDDING BANQUETS

Article 3.

1. Weddings should be organized solemnly, joyfully, healthily, and in accordance with good ethnic customs and traditions.

2. Traditional customs and practices such as visiting the bride's home; asking for the bride's hand; and inviting the bride's family should be organized simply and concisely.

3. Wedding decorations and attire of the bride and groom should be elegant and appropriate to the cultural traditions of the nation.

4. In cases where meals are served, they should be economical, not last for many days, and must ensure food safety.

5. The registration of marriage and issuance of the marriage certificate must comply with the provisions of the law on marriage and family.

Article 4. Encouraging the following forms in weddings:

1. Announcing the wedding instead of inviting guests to the wedding ceremony and banquet.

2. Organizing tea parties instead of hosting a banquet at home, office hall, cultural house... holding a smoke-free wedding.

3. Agencies, organizations, or social groups organizing the wedding ceremony.

4. Placing flowers at memorials, martyrs' cemeteries, or planting commemorative trees in local happiness gardens on the wedding day.

Article 5. Organizing weddings and escorting the bride and groom must comply with laws on traffic safety and public order and safety.

Section 2

ORGANIZING FUNERALS

Article 6. Organizing funerals must comply with the provisions of the law on household registration, environment, and food safety; funerals should be organized carefully, solemnly, simply, economically; when sending off the deceased, regulations on traffic safety and public order and safety must be followed; minimizing the scattering of paper money and gold offerings on the road; not scattering paper money or coins on the road; implementing local regulations on funerals.

Embalming, burial, cremation, incineration, exhumation, and moving remains must be carried out according to the Sanitation Regulations issued together with Decree No. 23/HĐBT dated November 24, 1991 of the Council of Ministers (now the Government).

Article 7. Funeral attire; mourning flags and hanging mourning flags according to traditional customs of each region, province, ethnic group, and religion.

Article 8. Encouraging the following forms in funerals:

1. Using music tapes instead of traditional funeral bands.

2. Limiting the use of wreaths.

3. Forms of cremation and incineration. 4. Weekly rituals in funerals such as the 3rd, 7th, 49th day, 100th day, first anniversary, and reburial should be organized within the family, clan, and close friends.

The organization of funerals for state officials, civil servants, and employees shall be implemented in accordance with the Regulations on the organization of funerals for state officials, civil servants, and employees upon death issued together with Decree No. 62/2001/NĐ-CP dated September 12, 2001 of the Government.

Article 9. Local authorities at all levels must plan and invest funds to gradually build cemeteries into cultural monuments of the locality.

Article 10. Burial, reburial, building graves must be within cemetery planning. Provincial People's Committees and municipal people's committees directly under the central government shall specify the construction of graves in accordance with land resources, customs, and traditions of their localities.

Article 11. FESTIVALS

Section 3

When organizing festivals, local authorities, agencies, units, and individuals must comply with the law on cultural heritage and Festival Organization Regulations issued by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Article 12. Local authorities, agencies, and organizations must take strict measures to prevent, stop, and handle promptly violations of relics, scenic spots; fraud, theft from tourists; commercialization, and superstitious activities in festivals within their jurisdiction and authority when organizing festivals.

Article 13. Local authorities, agencies, units, and organizations must take strict measures to prevent and promptly address violations against cultural heritages and scenic spots; fraud and theft from tourists; commercialization and superstitious activities during festivals within their respective jurisdictions and authority when organizing festivals.

Article 14. Local authorities, agencies, units, and organizations must implement the reception ceremonies for Orders, high honors, and commemorative days in accordance with the provisions set forth in Decree No. 154/2004/NĐ-CP dated August 9, 2004, of the Government regarding state ceremonial procedures for rallies, commemorations, awarding and receiving state honors, Orders, Medals, Flags of Merit from the Government, and Certificates of Merit from the Prime Minister.

Chapter III

REWARD AND DISCIPLINARY ACTION FOR VIOLATIONS

AND IMPLEMENTATION

Article 15.

1. Organizations and individuals who achieve success in promoting civilized practices in weddings, funerals, and festivals shall be rewarded in accordance with the provisions of the law.

2. Subjects specified in Clause 2, Article 1 of this Regulation who commit violations or abuse their positions and powers to contravene the provisions of this Regulation shall be subject to administrative penalties, disciplinary actions, or criminal liability追究刑事责任，根据违法行为的性质和程度。

Article 16.

1. Heads of state administrative agencies, public service units, state-owned companies, political organizations, political-social organizations, social-professional organizations, and military units have the responsibility to disseminate, educate, encourage, and manage cadres, civil servants, and public officials within their agencies, organizations, and units to comply with this Regulation.

2. Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-affiliated agencies, provincial People's Committees, and municipal People's Committees directly under the central government shall develop regulations on implementing civilized practices in weddings, funerals, and festivals suitable for their respective agencies, units, and localities based on the contents of this Regulation, and coordinate with all levels of the Fatherland Front and mass organizations to develop programs and plans to promote the movement for building civilized practices in weddings, funerals, and festivals among all citizens in their localities.

3. All levels of People's Committees shall plan to mobilize resources to build Cultural Houses, Funeral Houses, and equip funeral vehicles for their localities, contributing to the effective implementation of weddings and funerals for the people.

4. News agencies, press, radio, television, and cultural information agencies have the responsibility to widely organize propaganda, identify, promote, and encourage good models and successful experiences in implementing this Regulation; criticize negative manifestations and violations of this Regulation./.