Directive No. 39/1998/CT-TTg on enhancing cultural and information work in mountainous areas and among ethnic minority communities

DIRECTIVE

On Promoting Cultural and Information Work in Mountainous Areas and Among Ethnic Minority Groups

vùng đồng bào các dân tộc thiểu số

Implementing the Party's reform policy, the cultural and information sector in mountainous areas and among ethnic minority groups has seen progress in several fields over recent years. The cultural identity of ethnic minorities has been respected, and cultural enjoyment levels have increased in some places. Information dissemination and propaganda have developed with various practical forms and contents. State cultural and artistic units have increasingly focused on serving mountainous areas and ethnic minority groups; efforts to collect, study, and promote traditional cultures of ethnic minorities have been emphasized. Additionally, investment in cultural and information facilities has improved, and some suitable and effective models of cultural and information activities have emerged in many places, with potential for widespread replication. Training and capacity building for ethnic minority cadres working in culture and information have received increasing attention.

However, cultural and information work in mountainous areas and among ethnic minority groups, particularly in highland, border, and remote regions, still faces many limitations, with low levels of cultural enjoyment. The content and form of cultural and informational products delivered to these areas remain sparse or not truly appropriate. In particular, there is a severe lack of up-to-date information about the Party's and State's policies in some places.

Regarding organization, staffing, planning, and cadre utilization in cultural and information work, especially at the district and grassroots levels, they have not been adequately addressed, failing to meet practical needs. Specific policies and measures to preserve and develop ethnic minority cultures have not been timely issued. Some policies that have been issued are not truly suitable for mountainous areas and ethnic minority groups, or although suitable, have not been strictly implemented.

The above shortcomings have limited the development of culture and information in mountainous areas and among ethnic minority groups. One of the main subjective reasons is that many sectors and levels of government have not genuinely recognized culture as both a driving force and a goal for promoting economic and social development, and have not effectively integrated cultural development with economic development.

Currently, cultural life in mountainous areas and among ethnic minority groups has new conditions for development, but there remains the risk of falling behind and losing cultural identity in some ethnic groups.

To exploit potential and accelerate economic and social development in mountainous areas and among ethnic minority groups, reducing disparities in living standards and cultural enjoyment between regions, the Prime Minister issues directives to promote cultural and information work in mountainous areas and among ethnic minority groups, with the following objectives and solutions:

1. Implement the Resolution of the Fifth Plenary Session of the Central Committee (Eighth Term) of the Party on "Building and Developing a Vietnamese Culture That Is Advanced and Rich in National Identity." All sectors and levels must adopt policies and measures to closely integrate the task of developing cultural and information work in mountainous areas and among ethnic minority groups with economic and social development, security, and defense tasks. Specifically, this involves implementing well the Programs and Projects under the Government's Action Plan to implement this Party Resolution. The guiding ideology and objectives are: "To prioritize, preserve, and promote traditional values and build and develop new values in literature and art of ethnic groups, to foster civilized lifestyles and cultural families, and expand information networks in ethnic minority areas." In the short term, efforts should focus on raising the level of cultural and information enjoyment in highland, border, and difficult areas, especially those within Zone 3.

2. Further improve the preservation and promotion of the finest elements of traditional culture of ethnic minorities. Alongside collecting, researching, exploiting, and introducing, plans should be made to preserve valuable cultural works and sites in ethnic minority areas (such as temples, pagodas, communal houses, longhouses, villages with traditional handicrafts...) and other cultural heritage of value.

Organize research, improvement, and assistance to develop traditional handicraft products of ethnic minorities towards commercial production, linking culture with tourism. Mobilize ethnic minority communities to preserve and use traditional costumes, organize the introduction of cultural products to conserve the finest elements of ethnic cultures.

3. Improve and raise the level of cultural and information enjoyment in mountainous areas and among ethnic minority groups by one step. All sectors and levels must have specific plans to strengthen resources for cultural and information work in mountainous areas and ethnic minority regions, promote socialized cultural and information activities, and expand international cooperation to secure external resources.

Strive to ensure that by the end of 2000, each commune has at least one village (or equivalent) registered and directed to successfully implement the construction of cultural villages.

Organize, establish, and enhance the quality of activities of mass cultural performance teams at the grassroots level. At the district level, where conditions permit, teams of semi-professional cultural performers can be organized to serve as catalysts for healthy cultural activities, meeting community cultural life needs, thereby creating cultural highlights.

Consolidate and develop mobile film projection teams, mobile cultural propaganda teams serving ethnic minority groups in highland, deep, and distant areas; cultural, information, sports centers, libraries, bookstores, television relay stations, and radio stations at the district level. Improve management to enhance the effectiveness of cultural and information institutions at all levels, establish cultural and information stations in mountainous commune clusters' centers, particularly in Zone 3, linked with markets, forestry farms, military posts, boarding schools, border guard posts, and grassroots cultural postal services.

4. The mass media agencies need to improve the content and form of propaganda regarding the Party's guidelines and State policies so that they are suitable for the characteristics and conditions of each region; they should focus on promoting the cultural and artistic heritage of ethnic groups, exemplary models of successful business practices, advocating the preservation and protection of natural and cultural environments, and eliminating social evils.

5. Effectively carry out planning and training work, while researching and issuing appropriate policies for cultural and information officers in mountainous areas and ethnic minority regions. Local authorities must assign a member of the People's Committee Standing Body to be responsible for cultural and information work, with the goal of having specialized staff trained in professional skills.

It is necessary to consolidate, improve, and develop specialized cultural and artistic agencies serving mountainous areas and ethnic minorities at both central and local levels, creating favorable conditions for these agencies to serve more effectively, especially in highland, border, remote, and far-flung areas.

6. Organize well the campaigns for literary, artistic, and journalistic creation on mountainous and ethnic minority themes, and plan the publication and introduction of these works to reflect timely progress and aspirations of ethnic minorities during the reform process. Develop plans to assist artists in creating and performing to serve mountainous and ethnic minority regions, both spiritually and materially.

7. In the short term and in the coming years, it is necessary to better organize cultural exchanges among ethnic groups, expand the format of "Cultural and Sports Festivals of Ethnic Groups" at cluster and regional scales, aiming to enhance mutual understanding and solidarity among ethnic groups, while also promoting the introduction of ethnic minority cultures both domestically and internationally.

8. The tasks and measures mentioned above must be concretized in the action plans of Ministries, sectors, and localities, based on gradually increasing the State budget for material infrastructure construction, equipment, and operational funding for public services, while simultaneously promoting appropriate forms of socialization to develop culture and information in mountainous areas and ethnic minority regions.

The Ministry of Culture and Information shall take the lead, together with the Committee for Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas, the Ministry of Education and Training, the Border Guard Command, Vietnam Television, Voice of Vietnam Radio, and the National Center for Social Sciences and Humanities, in drafting a proposal for developing ethnic minority cultures as outlined in the Government's action program to implement Resolution of the Fifth Plenary Session of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Eighth Term; coordinate with the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee and various associations and unions to mobilize and organize the implementation of the objectives set forth in this Directive, in conjunction with the nationwide movement "All People United to Build a Cultural Life" proposed at the Fifth Plenary Session of the Central Committee of the Party.

Ministers of Ministries, Heads of agencies equivalent to Ministries, agencies under the Government, Chairpersons of People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities within mountainous areas and those with mountainous regions and ethnic minorities are responsible for implementing this Directive./.