Decision No. 61/2005/QĐ-BVHTT on approving the Plan for Socialization of Cultural Activities Development until 2010

DECISION OF THE MINISTER OF CULTURE AND INFORMATION

Regarding the approval of the Project on Planning for the Development of Socialization of Cultural Activities until 2010

hoạt động văn hóa đến năm 2010

 

THE MINISTER OF CULTURE AND INFORMATION

 

Pursuant to Decree No. 63/2003/NĐ-CP dated June 11, 2003 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Culture and Information;

Pursuant to the results of implementing Resolution No. 90/CP dated August 21, 1997, and Decree No. 73/1999/NĐ-CP dated August 19, 1999 of the Government on policies encouraging socialization in cultural activities;

Pursuant to Resolution No. 05/2005/NQ-CP dated April 18, 2005 of the Government on accelerating socialization in educational, health, cultural, and sports activities;

At the proposal of the Head of the Steering Committee for Implementing Resolution No. 05/2005/NQ-CP of the Government on Accelerating Socialization in Cultural Activities during the period 2005-2010 of the Ministry of Culture and Information,

 

DECISION:

 

Article 1. Approves the Project on Planning for the Development of Socialization of Cultural Activities until 2010 with the following main contents:

1. Guiding viewpoints and orientations

a) Implementing socialization in culture to mobilize all intellectual and material resources of the whole society to care for cultural activities at higher levels for the people, while creating conditions for the whole society, especially policy beneficiaries, to enjoy culture at increasingly higher levels during the process of industrialization, modernization, and international integration.

b) The State continues to reform cultural management mechanisms, accelerate the completion of policy mechanisms, increase investment resources, and simultaneously reform goals, methods, structures, and sources of investment funds; focusing investment resources on priority targets and national programs for cultural development. Concentrating support for investment in mountainous, border, island, remote, and ethnic minority areas with many difficulties.

c) Transition all units under the cultural and information sector (public institutions) to a mechanism for providing public services with full autonomy in organization, management, and full cost accounting, ensuring revenue-expenditure balance; implementing the objectives and tasks, continuously improving service quality and product effectiveness, ensuring equal rights and opportunities for creators and consumers.

Consider transitioning some existing cultural and information public institutions when they meet the necessary conditions to be partially or fully transferred to non-public forms managed by collectives or individuals based on repaying state capital.

State-owned enterprises and state organizations engaging in joint ventures or collaborations with foreign entities under the management of the cultural and information sector continue to be restructured and improved according to the decisions already approved by the Prime Minister in the form of 100% state-owned enterprises, state-owned enterprises not required to hold 100% capital can be converted into enterprises with multiple owners (joint-stock companies). Enterprises that cannot be listed will proactively convert to other forms such as business leasing, auction sales, dissolution, or bankruptcy in accordance with current regulations.

d) Vigorously develop non-state cultural and information facilities in two forms: private and individual: Individuals, families, economic and social organizations, and mass organizations may invest and participate in almost all cultural and information activities except establishing publishing houses, press agencies, and mobile information teams. The State encourages and provides preferential policies for investments in key cultural and information activities contributing to political and ideological guidance, moral values, aesthetic values, and social values in the field of preserving and promoting cultural heritage, traditional art forms, folk arts, good customs and traditions of the nation; or establishing non-state facilities operating under a non-profit mechanism.

Socializing cultural activities must go hand in hand with strengthening state management, intensifying inspections and supervision of cultural activities to ensure the correct direction of cultural and information development as guided by the Party and the State.

e) The planning process for developing socialization of cultural activities should have appropriate steps for each type and region, focusing on vigorously developing socialization of cultural activities in large cities, urban areas, and economically developed regions.

2. Objectives of the Project

a) Attract all resources, economic sectors, and strata of the population in society to participate in creating, disseminating, and producing a wide variety of high-quality, diverse, national, and modern cultural products and works to continuously improve the level of cultural enjoyment for the people.

b) By 2010, non-state facilities and forces participating in socializing cultural activities should ensure 40-60% of cultural service needs depending on the type and field, and mobilize approximately 49% of social capital.

c) Implement the transition of 100% of public units (public institutions) under the cultural and information sector currently implementing financial self-management systems applicable to units with income according to Decree No. 10/2002/NĐ-CP dated January 16, 2002 of the Government on financial systems applicable to income-generating public institutions to a service provision mechanism (cultural service units) once new regulatory documents on new mechanisms are issued. Starting from 2006, select pilot units among those planned for transition, prepare project proposals, and create conditions regarding infrastructure, human resources, and policies. When sufficient conditions are met, implement pilot transitions to non-public forms and draw lessons for broader implementation.

d) Develop and promulgate a system of appropriate mechanisms and policies to promote the development of socialization in cultural activities.

3. Content of the Plan for Developing Socialization of Cultural Activities

a) Develop socialization based on restructuring existing public institutions in the cultural and information sector according to the following orientation:

- Reorganize artistic units towards maintaining under public form at the central level traditional and outstanding art troupes such as: Tuong, Cheo, Cai Luong, Circus, National Music and Dance, Symphony, European Classical Ballet, Puppetry, Opera. Each province should only maintain one traditional and outstanding art troupe. Some provinces and cities currently having multiple public art troupes shall consider reducing their number (converting to private art troupes or merging), retaining only those traditional and outstanding local public art troupes. Quickly convert all public art troupes to service supply mechanisms when new mechanisms come into effect. Gradually convert remaining central and local artistic units to non-public entities managed by collectives or individuals based on state capital repayment according to regional characteristics and actual operations.

- In the field of training, continue to maintain and develop under public form at the central level schools for training literary and artistic cadres, specialized technical vocational schools aimed at concentrating, nurturing talents, high-level arts training, top cultural and artistic cadres, ethnic minority cultural and artistic cadres, and cadres with special professions to create a core cadre team with virtue and talent playing key roles in state management units and public institutions (including 15 out of 16 leading universities, colleges, and secondary schools of Culture and Arts; 01 out of 16 secondary schools currently upgrading to specialized vocational colleges - printing profession). Continue to maintain under public form schools for training cultural and artistic cadres at intermediate and advanced levels managed by provincial People's Committees and consider converting them to private or民办化学校，具备转换条件时。

鼓励公立文化与艺术学院将其非顶尖专业人才培养科系分离成立民办或私立文化与艺术院校。

- Museums, heritage management boards, specialized libraries; provincial, city, district, and county libraries across the country will continue to be maintained and developed under public form (service-providing units in the field of cultural heritage and libraries) to preserve and promote national and human cultural values.

- The system of publishers, media agencies; cultural and information centers (including exhibition centers, cultural centers, information centers; cultural houses, exhibition houses); film distribution centers in mountainous areas, remote regions, and border areas; mobile information teams at central and local levels, which are organizations responsible for conveying policy orientations and laws of the Party and State, will continue to be maintained and developed under public form (service-providing units in the fields of publishing, media, and information dissemination).

The State encourages and entrusts provincial People's Committees to consider converting cultural and information centers in large cities, urban areas, and economically developed regions to non-public forms when conditions permit. Provincial People's Committees will decide on the conversion of film distribution centers outside mountainous, remote, and border areas to non-public forms within their authority. The conversion process must be appropriate, suitable to regional characteristics, and only proceed when conditions allow.

- Quickly convert all public units operating in the cultural and information sector to service-providing mechanisms when new mechanisms take effect.

b) Socializing cultural and information activities at the grassroots level:

- Grassroots cultural and information facility activities: Allow and encourage non-public individuals, units, and organizations to establish grassroots cultural and information facilities in provinces, cities, districts, counties, towns, villages, hamlets, wards, on the principle of self-organization and management, subject to state administration by competent authorities.

- Grassroots cultural life construction activities: Non-public individuals, units, and organizations can invest in and participate in activities, cooperate with state-owned public organizations to build grassroots cultural life according to regulations of the Ministry of Culture and Information and State guidance; they can participate in drafting village rules and customs in accordance with the law; they can register and organize new and traditional festivals (excluding national festivals), weddings, funerals according to State guidelines, on the principle of self-organization and management.

- Mass cultural and artistic activities: Allow non-public individuals, units, and organizations to invest in and participate in mass cultural and artistic activities in villages, communities, and units on the principle of self-organization and self-management, subject to state administration by competent authorities.

The State will consider providing partial or full initial infrastructure support for grassroots cultural and information activities organized, implemented, and serving in mountainous, island, special, ethnic minority, and particularly difficult areas.

e) Socializing some specialized cultural activities:

Encourage individuals, units, and other economic sectors to participate in specialized cultural activities: Artistic activities, cultural and artistic education, film (including three stages: production-import, film distribution-screening), printing-distribution, cultural heritage, fine arts-photography, libraries, copyright protection services.

d) Socializing state-owned enterprises managed by the Ministry of Culture and Information: Implemented according to Decision No. 103/2003/QD-TTg dated May 27, 2003, Decision No. 226/2005/QD-TTg dated September 15, 2005 of the Prime Minister on reorganizing, reforming, and improving the efficiency of state-owned enterprises and the Project for Continuing to Reorganize and Reform Enterprises of the Ministry of Culture and Information.

4. Main solutions

a) Enhance propaganda work and raise awareness about the Party's and State's policies encouraging socialization of cultural activities, with particular emphasis on changes in the understanding of state management agencies at all levels from central to local regarding the policy of socializing cultural activities.

b) Focus on theoretical research and periodic summarization of the work of socializing cultural activities to have scientific grounds for guiding the process of organizing the implementation of planning for the development of socialization of cultural activities.

c) Coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors (Finance, Planning and Investment, Justice, Education and Training, Health, Physical Culture and Sports...) to submit to the Government on building new, supplementing, amending, and perfecting the legal system in the field of culture, reforming the state management mechanism to create a legal framework and unified management mechanism for the development of socialization of cultural activities until 2010: Review, supplement, amend some current documents (Decree 10/2002/ND-CP under the service provision mechanism; Decree 73/1999/ND-CP expanding and supplementing incentive policies); preferential policies, incentives for investment, initial support with material facilities, remuneration systems for employees in public organizations when transitioning outside the public sector. Develop policies and mechanisms clearly defining the rights, responsibilities, and obligations of individuals and economic components participating under the service provision mechanism, profit-making mechanism, or non-profit mechanism. Develop and perfect industry plans for Culture and Information; complete models and operational regulations of public units, financial systems of service-providing units. Reform the state budget utilization mechanism such as procurement policies for services provided by the state to encourage participation from all economic components; support mechanisms for people enjoying culture through public institutions directly to beneficiaries; state management mechanisms towards administrative reform by the Government.

d) Increase investment in culture from central and local budgets to preserve and promote national cultural heritage, prioritizing investment in ethnic minority areas, mountainous regions, and particularly difficult areas: Increase investment to enhance the leading role of state cultural agencies and units. Invest in cultural-artistic training institutions, cultural heritage preservation, and preferential policies for mountainous regions. The State allocates an appropriate proportion of the budget to support units transitioning to non-public entities in terms of investment, upgrading infrastructure, equipment, technology... effectively implementing the national target program on culture.

đ) Implement well the regulatory legal documents in the field of culture and related fields to expand and diversify forms of socialization of cultural activities by various economic components.

e) Strengthen inspection and supervision work.

g) Concentrate on researching, building, and proposing the State to issue special mechanisms and policies to facilitate the development of socialization of cultural activities, such as policies on training and retraining cadres; resource mobilization and financial policies (tax incentives), land use policies; social policies and reward policies.

5. Implementation schedule

a) Period 2005 - 2006:

- Extensively disseminate through all mass media and issue guidance documents to implement the planning for developing socialization of cultural activities throughout the sector.

- Coordinate with relevant agencies to build, supplement, amend, and submit to the Government, Ministries, Departments to promulgate mechanisms and policies encouraging the development of socialization of cultural activities.

Implement the transition of 100% of units currently operating under Government Decree 10 to the service provision mechanism (cultural service-providing units) when the new mechanism takes effect.

Select units expected to undergo transition (choose units with high self-financing ratios) to develop proposals for transitioning to non-public forms (mainly private).

- Accelerate the restructuring and reform of state-owned enterprises when the restructuring and reform plan for state-owned enterprises under the Culture and Information sector becomes effective. For enterprises required to change ownership forms, prioritize the conversion of those with competitive advantages in the market.

- Prioritize the formation of non-public bases for socialized cultural production, investing in material facilities and equipment for the construction of cultural works and cultural institutions in each region, area.

- By the end of 2006, organize a mid-term review meeting to evaluate and draw lessons from the implementation of the planning for developing socialization of cultural activities and directions for implementation in 2007-2010.

b) Period 2007 - 2010:

- Continue to build, revise, and supplement regulatory documents to promote socialization of cultural activities and implement the planning for developing socialization of cultural activities.

- Implement pilot transitions (units with proposals) when conditions are met and draw lessons to organize wide-scale transitions. Strive to complete 100% of targets set out in the planning across the country by 2010. After 2010, the State will consider adjustments and directions for socialization of cultural activities based on actual conditions, including reviewing and determining the number of public institutions that need to be maintained.

- Conduct annual reviews and comprehensive evaluations after five years of implementing the development of socialization of cultural activities, focusing on distilling experiences in building and developing exemplary socialization models in each region, field to replicate nationwide.

Article 2. Implementing organization.

- The Steering Committee for Implementing Resolution 05 of the Government on Promoting Socialization of Cultural Activities for the 2005-2010 Period, established by the Ministry of Culture and Information (referred to as the Central Steering Committee), shall be responsible for assisting the Minister of Culture and Information in implementing Resolution 05 and government directives on promoting socialization of cultural activities throughout the sector during the 2005-2010 period; directing pilot projects, expanding successful models, and organizing the implementation of socialization according to the government's policy and the Master Plan for Socializing Cultural Activities until 2010 nationwide.

- Provincial People's Committees shall base their actions on economic, cultural, and social conditions, direct the Departments of Culture and Information to develop and implement the Project on Planning the Development of Socialization of Cultural Activities until 2010 at the local level, and ensure that the content aligns with the approved Project on Planning by the Ministry of Culture and Information.

Article 3. This Decision takes effect fifteen days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.

Article 4. The People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities, the Director of the Office, the Heads of the Department of Organization and Cadres, the Heads of the Department of Planning and Finance; the Heads of units under the Ministry and the Directors of the Departments of Culture and Information of provinces and cities are responsible for enforcing this Decision.

 

SOCIALIZATION DEVELOPMENT PLAN

 

FOR CULTURAL ACTIVITIES UNTIL 2010

(Issued together with Decision No. 61/2005/QD-BVHTT dated November 4, 2005

of the Minister of Culture and Information)

Based on the results achieved after more than five years of implementing Resolution 90/CP dated August 21, 1997, and Decree 73/1999/NĐ-CP dated August 19, 1999 of the Government on policies encouraging socialization in cultural activities;

Based on Resolution No. 05/2005/NQ-CP dated April 18, 2005 of the Government on accelerating socialization in educational, health, cultural, and sports activities.

The plan for developing socialization of cultural activities until 2010 includes the following main contents:

PART I

CURRENT SITUATION AND FORECAST OF FACTORS AFFECTING THE SOCIALIZATION

OF CULTURAL ACTIVITIES IN OUR COUNTRY

I. CURRENT SITUATION OF SOCIALIZATION OF CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

1. Results of implementing Resolution 90/CP on socializing cultural activities

History has shown that throughout the process of founding and defending the country, many generations of our ancestors organized and implemented activities aimed at promoting "socialization of cultural activities." Particularly, after the issuance of Resolution 90/CP dated August 21, 1997, Decree 73/CP dated August 19, 1999, and Decree 10/2002/NĐ-CP dated January 16, 2002 of the Government, the work of socializing cultural activities in our country had specific directions and mechanisms, leading to significant development. Through comprehensive surveys, it is seen that the implementation of socialization in the cultural and information sector has achieved concrete results in various fields as follows:

1.1. Regarding grassroots cultural and information activities:

During the implementation of the policy of socialization, many effective models of grassroots cultural and information activities have emerged and developed, such as:

- Family culture model including forms of building clan, family, and cultural families; family cultural clubs, family cultural garden-house; private antique collections, private libraries. To date, 12,091,222 out of 17,978,782 households have reached the standard of cultural families.

- Community culture model: Regarding village, hamlet, and neighborhood cultural construction, there are now 31,494 out of 88,477 villages, hamlets, and 6,002 out of 17,047 neighborhoods recognized as cultural villages, hamlets, and neighborhoods; 392 out of 10,752 communes and wards recognized as cultural communes and wards, and 29,492 out of 32,582 units recognized as cultural units and organizations.

- Collective culture model including forms such as traditional festivals, mass art teams, folk music clubs ("Đờn ca tài tử") in the South, folk song clubs in many northern provinces. Currently, there are 24,401 mass art teams in residential areas and tens of thousands of mass art teams in organizational, business, school, and military areas.

Many types of cultural facilities in communes, villages, hamlets, and neighborhoods such as cultural houses, communal cultural houses, community cultural activity venues (guildhalls), postal and cultural service points have been built and operated effectively.

1.2. Specialized cultural activities field

1.2.1. Publishing - printing - distribution field: High rate of socialization, diverse development, specifically:

- Publishing: The number of publications increased rapidly, from 2,923 titles and 38.208 million copies in 1990 to 18,641 titles and 243.830 million copies in 2003. Besides textbooks funded by the state, other books were published and distributed through collaboration with various economic sectors.

- Printing: Nationwide, there are nearly 10,000 printing establishments (screen printing), individual traders, photocopy shops, computer services, binding and trimming workshops; approximately 600 industrial printing establishments, and 12 printing establishments that have been corporatized.

- Book distribution: Nationwide, there are 19 state-owned book distribution companies that have been corporatized, with over 12,500 book sales and rental points, including about 35 limited liability companies, private enterprises, and joint-stock companies.

1.2.2. Film industry: Annually, private capital produces numerous films serving society, particularly producing up to 60 video films and 3 to 4 feature films with a total value of nearly 1 billion VND, providing employment for artists and contributing to increasing artistic film enjoyment among the people.

1.2.3. Library field: Socialization is mainly carried out through cooperation and coordination with agencies, departments, organizations at central and local levels, and contributions from the public and foreign organizations to mobilize resources (books, newspapers, equipment, funds, and labor) for library activities and the establishment of grassroots library models. Currently, there are nearly 7,000 libraries and reading rooms managed by the cultural and information sector, over 7,000 postal and cultural service points in communes, 10,000 legal book cabinets, and 400 border guard book cabinets. Additionally, private libraries and community reading rooms are emerging and showing a growing trend.

1.2.4. Field of performing arts: The whole country has approximately 100 private groups and companies covering all types of music, theater, circus, reformed opera, water puppetry...; 150 private theaters.

1.2.5. Field of fine arts: The whole country has 150 private fine art galleries.

1.2.6. Field of training: The whole country has 15 cultural and artistic schools that operate on the basis of state funding and contributions from students.

1.2.7. Field of cultural heritage: From 1999 to 2003, the whole country mobilized approximately 460 billion VND from non-state budget sources to prevent the deterioration of historical sites, with the majority of contributions coming from the public for religious and traditional sites.

1.2.8. Field of copyright: The whole country has 32 private copyright advisory and service organizations (mostly private), including 04 law firms providing copyright advisory services. From 1999 to 2003, on average each year, 30.65% (in 2004 it was 44.96%) of copyright registration applications were processed through these advisory and service organizations. There is one Vietnam Music Copyright Protection Center which, after more than two years of operation, has signed nearly 600 agency agreements with musicians from activities related to performance rights, production of tapes and discs, and publication. The Vietnam Audio Recording Industry Association, established in August 2003, now has 45 organizations and individuals voluntarily applying to join. The Vietnam Literary Copyright Center, established on August 25, 2004, has signed 1,300 agency agreements with members of the Writers' Association.

1.2.9. Field of production and business of cultural services: Currently, there are 20 non-public centers producing music tapes and CDs with an initial investment of 20 billion VND; 25,020 rental establishments for video tapes, music tapes, karaoke, dance clubs... including 2,102 karaoke and dance club establishments and 4,000 internet cafes.

1.2.10. Public institutions within the sector have been partially self-financed:

- At the central level: The arts sector self-funds 23.87% of its budget; the culture sector 10.21%; the education sector 12.55%; the museum sector 4.42%; the information sector 16.89%.

- At the local level: The public cultural institution sector self-funds 5.64% of its budget; the public arts institution sector 5.40%; the public library sector 4.21%; the public heritage conservation sector 4.42%.

2. Evaluation

Socialization of cultural activities has initially been widely implemented. The Ministry of Culture and Information has cooperated with various sectors, mass organizations, especially with creative literature and art associations and the Vietnam Fatherland Front at all levels, to mobilize many social forces to participate, creating considerable resources for cultural development. As a result, many cultural products and community cultural activities have developed both in quantity and quality. The socialization of cultural activities over the past few years has generally been in line with the direction set out. This demonstrates that the Party and State's policy of socializing cultural activities is correct. The issuance of Resolution 90/CP and subsequent documents on socialization has contributed to successfully implementing the Central Resolution 5 on "Building and developing a progressive Vietnamese culture rich in national identity."

However, the process of implementing socialization of cultural activities still reveals several shortcomings and main issues as follows:

- The restructuring, reform, and management mechanism for public institutions and enterprises under the sector towards socialization have been implemented slowly and encountered many difficulties despite the State's policies and numerous documents promoting progress.

- The socialization of cultural activities has developed unevenly across regions, areas, and cultural fields. Socialization of grassroots cultural information activities has developed strongly due to State guidance, focus, and support, while other fields have developed only those activities that are profitable, leading to many limitations and issues in socializing cultural activities on a non-profit basis.

- Some fields such as printing, distribution, and cultural service businesses have seen strong socialization efforts. The positive aspect of this development is that it has enriched and diversified cultural activities, increasing the number and quality of cultural products. However, alongside this, the pursuit of profit has also led to many negative phenomena, affecting the people's thoughts, morals, lifestyles, and traditional customs, as warned by public opinion and the media.

The main reasons for the above issues are:

- First, the understanding of relevant departments and levels, particularly local leaders and grassroots units, is not deep enough, failing to fully recognize the inevitability and long-term benefits of socializing cultural activities. Therefore, their leadership and guidance lack firmness and focus. The mindset and habit of centralized planning still prevail among leaders at all levels and sectors. Additionally, culture is a sensitive area with ideological implications, making leadership hesitant and unable to anticipate all negative aspects arising during socialization and the complexities of market mechanisms.

- Due to the lack of overall planning and plans to guide and determine specific steps suitable for each region and field, the implementation of cultural activity socialization has been spontaneous and has not met societal development needs.

- The management and leadership of government agencies have been reactive, slow to change, and hesitant, lacking many special mechanisms and policies to create a legal framework encouraging positive developments and preventing negative ones in the current process of cultural activity socialization.

II. FORECAST OF FACTORS AFFECTING THE SOCIALIZATION OF CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

During the period of international integration, culture in general and that of our country in particular will develop in the following directions: Culture is both a goal and a driving force for development, a factor ensuring sustainable economic and social development; countries increasingly emphasize their unique characteristics and national cultural identity, attaching importance to preserving and promoting the value of national cultural heritage while also paying attention to absorbing human values; advancements in science and technology, along with the explosion of information and the knowledge economy, will change relationships between individuals, communities, and society. From these trends, together with the requirement to effectively utilize leisure time of individuals and communities, culture will develop strongly on both creative and enjoyment aspects, necessitating the mobilization of all resources for cultural development. Therefore, the socialization of cultural activities will direct all social forces to invest in culture across areas such as preserving traditional values, creating cultural works and products, and various forms of cultural production and service businesses, aiming to continuously improve the level of cultural enjoyment for all strata of the people.

Part II

VIEWPOINTS, DIRECTIONS, AND TARGETS OF THE CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

SOCIALIZATION OF CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

I. GUIDING VIEWPOINTS AND DIRECTIONS FOR THE SOCIALIZATION OF CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

1. Implementing the socialization of culture to mobilize all intellectual and material potential of the entire society to care for the increasingly high-level cultural activities of the people, while creating conditions for the whole society, especially policy beneficiaries, to enjoy culture at higher levels during the periods of industrialization, modernization, and international integration.

2. The State continues to reform cultural management mechanisms, accelerate the completion of policies and increase investment resources, while reforming investment goals, methods, structures, and sources of capital; focusing on strengthening investment in priority targets and national programs for cultural development. Concentrate on supporting investment in mountainous, border, island, remote, and ethnic minority regions with many difficulties.

3. Transition all public institutions under the Ministry of Culture and Information to a mechanism for providing public services with full autonomy in organization, management, and accounting for costs, balancing revenues and expenditures; implement the objectives and tasks, constantly improving the efficiency and quality of services and products, ensuring equal rights and opportunities for creativity for consumers.

Consider transitioning some existing cultural and information public institutions when they meet the necessary conditions to be partially or fully transferred to non-public forms managed by collectives or individuals based on repaying state capital.

State-owned enterprises and state organizations jointly operating with foreign entities under the management of the Ministry of Culture and Information continue to be reorganized and improved according to the Decision approved by the Prime Minister in the form of 100% state-owned enterprises, state-owned enterprises not required to hold 100% capital can be converted into joint-stock companies; enterprises that cannot be listed will proactively convert to other forms such as business transfer, lease, auction, dissolution, bankruptcy in accordance with current regulations.

4. Vigorously develop non-public bases in two forms: private and individual: Individuals, families, economic and social organizations, and mass organizations can invest and participate in almost all cultural and information activities except establishing publishing houses, press agencies, and mobile information teams. The State encourages and provides preferential policies when investing in key cultural and information activities contributing to political and ideological orientation, morality, aesthetics, and social values; in the field of preserving and promoting the value of cultural heritage, traditional art forms, folk arts, good customs and traditions of the nation; or establishing non-public bases operating under a non-profit mechanism.

5. Socializing cultural activities must go hand in hand with strengthening state management, intensifying inspections and supervision of cultural activities to ensure the correct direction of cultural and information development as guided by the Party and the State.

6. The process of planning the development of socialized cultural activities needs to have appropriate steps for each type and region; emphasizing the vigorous socialization of cultural activities in large cities, urban areas, and economically developed regions.

II. OBJECTIVES

- Attract all resources, economic components, and layers of the people in society to participate in creation, provision, dissemination, and production of many high-quality, diverse, and culturally rich and modern cultural products and works to continuously enhance the level of cultural enjoyment of the people.

- By 2010, non-public institutions and forces participating in socialized cultural activities should meet 40-60% of cultural service needs depending on the type and field, and social capital mobilization should account for about 49%.

- Implement the transition of 100% of public units (public institutions) under the Ministry of Culture and Information currently implementing financial self-management systems according to Decree 10 of the Government to a service-providing mechanism (cultural service units) when new regulatory legal documents are issued. Starting from 2006, select pilot units among those planned for transition, build proposals, prepare material and human resources and policy conditions, and conduct pilot transitions to non-public forms once conditions are met, drawing lessons for wider implementation.

- Develop and promulgate a system of appropriate mechanisms and policies to promote the socialization of cultural activities.

Part III

CONTENT OF THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN

SOCIALIZATION OF CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

I. REORGANIZING CURRENT PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS UNDER THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND INFORMATION TOWARDS SOCIALIZATION

- There are currently 52 subordinate public service units under the Ministry of Culture - Information operating in the following sectors: Education sector (16 schools and 4 research institutes affiliated with schools), performing arts sector (12 units), cultural heritage-library sector (7 units), institute-center sector (8 units), press sector (4 units), other public service sectors (3 units). Details are provided in Appendix 1.

- There are 2,119 subordinate cultural-information public service units under the Department of Culture - Information at local levels operating in the following fields: Library services (641 units), cultural heritage conservation services (139 units), cultural houses (566 units), artistic services (102 artistic troupes), information services (671 units). The number of local cultural-information public service units by field is shown in Appendix 2. Data on local artistic troupes is provided in Appendix 3.

1.1. Orientation for the reorganization of public service units in the culture and information sector towards 2010 in the direction of socializing cultural activities:

From the perspective, orientation, and goal of socializing cultural activities, the reorganization of public service units in the culture and information sector towards 2010 is as follows:

- Reorganize artistic units in the direction that: At the central level, continue to maintain traditional and outstanding artistic troupes in the form of state-owned entities such as: Tuong, Cheo, Cai Luong, Circus, National Folk Dance and Music, Symphony, Classical European Ballet, Puppetry, Opera and Dance. Each province will only maintain one traditional and outstanding artistic troupe. Some provinces and cities with multiple state-owned artistic troupes shall consider reducing them to a minimum number (converting to non-state-owned artistic troupes or merging), retaining only those traditional and outstanding state-owned artistic troupes of the locality. Quickly convert all state-owned artistic troupes to a service-providing mechanism for artistic performances when the new mechanism takes effect. Depending on regional characteristics and actual operations, gradually convert remaining artistic units at the central and local levels to non-state-owned units managed by collectives or individuals based on the repayment of state capital.

- In the training field, at the central level, continue to maintain and develop under the form of state-owned entities specialized schools for training literary and artistic cadres, vocational schools for specific technical skills aimed at concentrating and nurturing talents, training top-level artistic skills, leading cultural and artistic cadres, ethnic minority cultural and artistic cadres, and cadres with special professions to create a core cadre team with both virtue and talent, playing a key role in state management units and state-owned entities (including 15 out of 16 leading universities, colleges, and secondary cultural and artistic schools; 01 out of 16 secondary schools currently undergoing upgrading to become specialized vocational colleges - printing profession). Continue to maintain the form of state-owned entities for schools training cultural and artistic cadres at the intermediate and advanced levels managed by local authorities, and provincial People's Committees shall consider converting them into private or privately-run cultural and artistic schools when conditions for conversion are met.

Encourage state-owned cultural and artistic schools to separate some departments (or majors) not focused on training top-level literary and artistic cadres to establish private or privately-run cultural and artistic schools (based on the general and popular fields separated).

- Museums, heritage management boards, specialized libraries, provincial, city, district, and county libraries across the country will continue to be maintained and developed in the form of state-owned entities (service-providing units in the field of cultural heritage and libraries) to preserve and disseminate cultural values of the nation and humanity.

- Systems of publishing houses, media agencies; cultural-information centers (including exhibition centers, cultural centers, information centers; cultural houses, exhibition houses); film distribution centers in mountainous regions, remote areas; mobile information teams at the central and local levels are organizations transmitting Party guidelines and State laws, which will continue to be maintained and developed in the form of state-owned entities (service-providing units in the fields of publishing, media, and information dissemination).

The State encourages and assigns provincial People's Committees to consider converting cultural-information centers in large cities, urban areas, and economically developed regions into non-state-owned entities when conditions are met.

Provincial People's Committees shall consider and decide within their authority on the form of conversion of film distribution centers outside mountainous, remote, and far-flung areas to non-state-owned entities. The conversion process must have appropriate steps suitable to regional characteristics and can only proceed when conditions permit.

Quickly convert all state-owned units operating in the cultural and information sector to a service-providing mechanism when the new mechanism becomes effective.

1.2. Reorganization Plan

a) For state-owned units directly under the Ministry (public service)

- After reorganization in the direction of socialization, the number of cultural-information service-providing units under the Ministry of Culture - Information remains at 49 out of a total of 52 units before reorganization (including 48 state-owned units and the Vietnam Ethnic Cultural Village which will operate under a special mechanism).

- The number of units expected to be converted into non-state-owned units is 3 out of a total of 52 existing public service units and will only be converted when conditions for socialization are met.

The reorganization plan (Appendix 1) includes the number of units continuing to be maintained in the form of state-owned entities (providing cultural-information services) and the number expected to be converted into non-state-owned units (mainly in the form of private entities).

b) For state-owned cultural-information units at the local level (public service unit)

- After reorganization in the direction of socializing cultural activities, the number of local cultural-information public service units (state-owned) remains at 1,975 out of a total of 2,155 units before reorganization, including newly established and upgraded 36 units (due to some provinces having been newly divided or established).

- Non-state units operating in cultural-information fields at the local level (converted from public service units) total 180 units out of a total of 2,155 units before restructuring.

- The restructuring plan according to field of operation is as follows:

 

 

- Appendix 2 - Restructuring local cultural-information service units. Appendix 3 - Restructuring local art troupes.

Public units are granted financial autonomy under Decree 10 of the Government (to be implemented through a service provision mechanism in the future) and are expanded to operate with other economic sectors in society (Appendix 4 provides guidance and suggestions).

II. SOCIALIZATION OF CULTURAL AND INFORMATION ACTIVITIES AT THE LOCAL LEVEL

Implementing the socialization of cultural and information activities at the grassroots level has a very important significance in fostering sustainable and long-term development of a broad cultural force at the grassroots level, thereby promoting the spirit of self-management, creativity, and enhancing the level of cultural and information enjoyment among the masses at the grassroots level, which is the core for building and preserving national cultural identity. Grassroots-level cultural and information activities include the following activities and models:

- Activities of grassroots-level cultural and information institutions subject to socialization include: communal cultural houses, town cultural houses, village cultural houses, hamlet cultural houses, market cultural houses, longhouses, guild halls, mobile information teams at the grassroots level, commune radio stations, economic-cultural clusters, cultural-sports clusters, cultural-information clusters, cultural highlights, cultural parks, children's playgrounds in communes, towns, villages, hamlets; youth and children's cultural houses, cultural houses of various sectors.

- Building cultural life at the grassroots level includes: family, village, hamlet, community cultural houses; cultural streets, towns, communities; cultural offices, units, schools; village regulations, customs; new festivals, traditional festivals; weddings, funerals.

- Mass cultural and artistic activities include: sectoral cultural and artistic festivals and competitions; training classes, talent classes, vocational training; interest groups, traditional clubs; mass cultural and artistic teams.

Organizations, units, individuals both within and outside the public sector are invested in and participate in grassroots-level cultural and information activities and models:

1. For activities of grassroots-level cultural and information institutions

- Allow and encourage individuals, units, organizations outside the public sector to establish grassroots-level cultural and information institutions including: communal cultural houses at provincial, city, district, county, commune, town, village, hamlet levels; longhouses, guild halls for visual propaganda; commune radio stations; economic-cultural clusters, cultural-sports clusters, cultural-information clusters; cultural highlights; cultural parks; children's playgrounds in communes, towns, villages, hamlets; youth and children's cultural houses, cultural houses of various sectors... on the principle of self-organization and management, and being subject to state management by competent authorities.

2. For activities of building cultural life at the grassroots level

- Units, organizations outside the public sector are invested in participating in grassroots-level cultural life-building activities, cooperate with public organizations of the State to achieve the goal of building families, villages, hamlets, streets, towns, offices, units, schools meeting cultural standards as prescribed by the cultural and information sector and guided by the State.

- Units, organizations outside the public sector are invested in and participate in establishing regulations, customs not contrary to laws; register and organize new festivals, traditional festivals (except national festivals), weddings, funerals according to the State's guidelines on the principle of self-organization and management, ensuring obligations to the State and being subject to state management by competent authorities.

3. For mass cultural and artistic activities

Individuals, units, organizations outside the public sector are invested in and participate in mass cultural and artistic activities in communes, towns, offices, units including: sectoral cultural and artistic festivals and competitions; training classes, talent classes, vocational training; interest groups, traditional clubs, and other folk art forms. These activities are carried out on the principle of self-organization and management, and being subject to state management by competent authorities.

The State will consider providing partial or full funding for initial infrastructure for cultural and information activities organized, implemented, and served in mountainous areas, islands, special regions, ethnic minority areas, and particularly difficult regions.

III. PARTICIPATION OF OTHER ECONOMIC SECTORS IN PROFESSIONAL CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

1. Encourage non-public individuals and units to participate in cultural activities:

- Encourage non-public economic sectors to participate in all forms to preserve and promote national cultural values, create traditional cultural products; contribute funds for the repair and restoration of relics, cooperate in exhibitions; develop traditional, folk, and ethnic arts, handicrafts, and traditional village industries. Encourage the establishment of collective, private, and family art units.

- Encourage organizations, collectives, and individuals to contribute, sponsor funds, establish funds, invest in cultural activities and creative literary and artistic works; contribute and support funds for grassroots-level cultural activities; invest in building cultural facilities, entertainment zones, reading rooms.

Encourage political and social occupational associations, social and occupational associations, central and local occupational associations to establish or link to establish non-state cultural and artistic training institutions. Encourage the development and creation of new types of private and individual cultural and artistic training institutions, or training institutions formed on the basis of cooperation and linkage with high-quality foreign training institutions, overseas Vietnamese; encourage the establishment of high-quality cultural and artistic training institutions funded entirely by foreign investment; encourage scientists, educators, highly qualified overseas Vietnamese in cultural and artistic fields to participate in teaching at public and non-public schools in Vietnam, while taking advantage of international support for training in the field of culture and art.

Encourage public cultural and artistic institutions to separate some departments (or majors) that do not train top-level literary and artistic cadres to establish private cultural and artistic institutions according to the separated fields with general and mass characteristics; encourage forms of training where students contribute funding; encourage and expand socialized forms of training cultural and artistic cadres to create competition with public institutions and provide additional staff for cultural and artistic work in local areas, but must ensure regional balance (establishing new non-state cultural and artistic training institutions); encourage artists, painters, skilled artisans with prestige to organize apprenticeship and teaching activities, or open classes to teach arts and fine arts, especially traditional, folk, and ethnic minority cultures.

Encourage collective and private entities to jointly build theaters, cinemas, performance venues, art centers, organize small-scale stage activities; operate film equipment, sound, lighting; import, export, and distribute films; build fixed or mobile screening points serving rural, remote, and distant areas; establish private museums, traditional art clubs, scholars' clubs, classical clubs; build high-quality cultural and artistic product production bases.

Strengthen joint ventures and collaborations between the State and economic sectors regarding capital, intellectual resources, and labor in creating cultural information products and distributing publications. Encourage non-state units to invest in material infrastructure, equipment, building exhibition and display houses to introduce national and global cultural and social information.

2. Specialized cultural activities in each field - participation by various economic components.

2.1. The field of artistic activities.

Develop non-state artistic groups established by collectives, individuals, families with categories such as theater, dance music, circus, variety shows, fashion performances; organizations arranging performances; producing and distributing music, theater recordings; producing and providing stage performance equipment (props), costumes.

2.2. The field of cultural and artistic education.

Allow the establishment of private and individual cultural and artistic schools such as film schools, dance schools, fine arts schools, music conservatories... following a unified state training program and curriculum. At the same time, form some cultural and artistic training institutions in Vietnam established by foreign training organizations or overseas Vietnamese.

2.3. The field of cinema.

- Production: Encourage individuals and organizations to establish private film studios, shareholding film companies in provincial and municipal centers, and comply with the regulations of the Ministry of Culture and Information. These studios are allowed to operate like public studios according to their registered business operations (cooperation, provision of film services with foreign countries; permitted to produce commissioned and subsidized films).

- Import and distribution of films: Encourage individuals and organizations to establish film distribution bases if they have theaters, they are allowed to import film reels, tapes, discs for screening at theaters and nationwide.

- Film screenings: Encourage individuals and organizations to build theaters, cinema complexes combining film screenings with other services; lease or joint venture to renovate, upgrade, and rebuild existing state-managed theaters; establish mobile screening points and teams serving rural, mountainous, island areas, etc., where the state has not provided services (the state does not initially invest, only subsidizes according to screening sessions); open shops selling and renting video tapes.

2.4. The field of publishing - printing - distribution.

Expand forms of collaboration where copyright owners, individuals with business registration certificates for printing or publication distribution, and organizations with legal personality can collaborate with publishers through capital investment, organization of manuscripts, printing, and distribution of publications (individuals and organizations collaborating with publishers must be named on publications and jointly bear legal responsibility for collaborative publications).

Expand functions for private printing establishments beyond packaging printing to include plate making, printing of catalogs, single sheets, folded brochures introducing products, usage guides for equipment; printing of transaction administrative papers for enterprises; printing of lined paper, student notebooks. From July 1, 2005, printing establishments meeting the conditions stipulated by the Publishing Law and conforming to the planning of ministries, sectors, and localities will be granted permission to print publications.

For internal printing establishments operating as self-financing public institutions according to Decree 10/2002/NĐ-CP (later becoming service supply mechanisms), expand their printing functions like businesses. Permit state-owned and private printing establishments to directly import printing equipment without going through agency imports.

- Privatizing some printing facilities and adopting advanced technology to lead in new technologies with the aim of modernizing the printing industry. Establishing joint stock companies and limited liability companies for publishing products.

2.5. Cultural Heritage Sector

- Permitting the establishment of private museums and collections in localities.

- Establishing a fund for protecting and promoting the value of cultural heritage and encouraging management boards of historical and cultural relics at each locality to mobilize the people, economic sectors, industries, social organizations to contribute capital, manpower, and resources to maintain and restore revolutionary, historical-cultural, scenic spots; preserving, teaching, and promoting the value of intangible cultural heritages of the country.

- For areas with famous relics and scenic spots, encourage organizations and individuals to invest and exploit the values of these relics according to approved plans to generate funds for their protection and restoration.

- To protect and promote the value of cultural heritage, encourage and mobilize the people to establish relic management boards in localities with relics and scenic spots; establish associations, craft clubs, traditional culture-art folk clubs in places with intangible cultural heritages. The functions and activities of these organizations shall be carried out in accordance with the regulations of specialized state management agencies and People's Committees at all levels within their jurisdiction; participants shall be remunerated from the revenues of activities for protecting and promoting the value of cultural heritage.

2.6. Fine Arts and Photography Sector

- Expanding collective and individual exhibitions on fine arts and photography. Organizing creative competitions in fine arts and photography with prizes named after sponsors implemented by domestic and foreign organizations and individuals.

- Permitting domestic and foreign organizations and individuals to invest in creation, exhibition, publication of fine art and photography works (including outdoor sculptures) and organizing services for introducing and selling fine art products in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Culture and Information.

- Establishing private fine arts and photography museums; establishing various types of private enterprises engaged in production and business in the field of fine arts and photography.

- Developing private classes on painting and photography organized and taught by painters and photographers.

- Establishing clubs of fine arts and photography enthusiasts, organizing auctions of fine arts and photography works to raise funds. Promoting the dissemination of paintings and photographs through private gallery networks.

2.7. Library Sector

- Mobilizing the establishment of private libraries (or reading rooms) in community areas; proposing the State to amend the Library Ordinance to allow the establishment of private libraries serving the community.

- Encouraging provinces and cities to establish reader clubs or clubs of book lovers. Establishing the Vietnam Library Association to gather library workers from all sectors nationwide to contribute efforts and intelligence to develop the library cause.

2.8. Copyright Service Sector

- Establishing the Music Copyright Association, Publishing Association... and moving towards establishing a Copyright Association in the cultural and information sector; allowing organizations and individuals to establish basic organizations for copyright advisory and service activities.

- Seeking support for training, professional development, and financial assistance from domestic and foreign organizations and individuals.

IV. SOCIALIZATION OF STATE ENTERPRISES

1. Existing State Enterprises

- The total number of enterprises directly under the Ministry of Culture and Information is 32 enterprises, classified into blocks: Film Block (7 units), Television Technology Block (1), Exhibition Block (1), Printing Block (7), Fine Arts - Relic Restoration - Cultural Equipment Block (3), Distribution Block (5), Basic Construction - Cultural Project Design Block (3), Publishing Block (5).

- Cultural and Information Enterprises in Localities: 200 units (of which 13 enterprises are subsidiaries of the Vietnam Book Corporation).

- Names of state enterprises arranged by block - Annex No. 5.

2. Reorganization Plan

a) Enterprises under the Ministry of Culture and Information

- Continuing to implement Decision No. 103/2003/QD-TTg dated May 27, 2003, Decision No. 226/2005/QD-TTg dated September 15, 2005 of the Prime Minister on reforming, reorganizing, and enhancing the capacity of state enterprises managed by the cultural and information sector (already and currently being implemented according to the project). Implementing the transformation of state companies into joint stock companies according to Decree No. 187/2004/NĐ-CP dated November 16, 2004 of the Government.

- Implementing the project to continue reorganizing and reforming state enterprises built by the Ministry of Culture and Information and submitted to relevant authorities.

b) Cultural and Information Enterprises in Localities

Converting 100% of cultural and information enterprises directly managed by localities into various forms such as joint stock, lease... according to Resolution No. 3, No. 9 of the Central Committee, Decree No. 187/2004/NĐ-CP on restructuring and reforming state enterprises, transforming state companies into joint stock companies (about 200 units, including 13 enterprises that are subsidiaries of the Vietnam Book Corporation) and implementing the project on restructuring and reforming state enterprises of the locality.

Part IV

IMPLEMENTATION MEASURES

I. MAJOR MEASURES TO IMPLEMENT THE PLAN

1. Strengthening propaganda and raising awareness about the Party and State's policies encouraging socialization of cultural activities, particularly focusing on changes in understanding among state management agencies at all levels from central to local regarding the policy of socializing cultural activities. At the same time, continuing to vigorously implement the Fifth Plenary Session of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam's Resolution on "building and developing a progressive Vietnamese culture imbued with national characteristics" and the Conclusion of the Tenth Plenary Session of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam during the 2006-2010 period on the goals, key tasks, and main solutions to continue building and developing culture.

2. Focus on researching theoretical foundations and periodically summarizing the socialization work of cultural activities to have scientific grounds for guiding the organization and implementation process of planning the socialization of cultural activities.

3. Coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors (Finance, Planning and Investment, Justice, Education and Training, Health, Sports...) to submit to the Government on building new, supplementing, amending, and perfecting the legal system in the field of culture, reforming state management mechanisms to create a legal framework and unified management mechanism for the development of socialization of cultural activities until 2010:

- Review, supplement, and amend some current documents (Decree 10/2002/ND-CP according to the service supply mechanism; Decree 73/1999/ND-CP expanding and supplementing incentive policies for socialization; ...). Implement preferential policies, encourage investment, provide initial support with a time limit regarding material infrastructure and employee benefits at public organizations when transitioning to non-public organizations.

- Focus on drafting regulatory documents to clearly define rights, responsibilities, and social obligations of individuals and economic components of society when participating in the socialization of cultural activities under the service supply mechanism, profit mechanism, or non-profit mechanism.

- Develop and perfect industry plans for culture-information. Complete models and operational regulations of public units, financial systems of service-supplying cultural units, and grant financial autonomy to public units regarding finance, organization, staffing...

- Reform the state budget utilization mechanism such as: Building and submitting to the State policies for tendering services ordered by the State to encourage all economic components to participate; reform the support mechanism for people enjoying culture through public institutions to direct provision to beneficiaries. Reform state management mechanisms towards administrative procedure reform by the Government.

4. Increase investment in culture from central and local budgets to preserve and promote national cultural heritage, prioritizing investment in ethnic minority areas, mountainous regions, and particularly difficult areas.

Strengthen investment to enhance the leading role and core position of state cultural agencies and units in the process of socializing cultural activities.

Invest in cultural-art education facilities, cultural heritage preservation, and priority policies for mountainous regions.

- The State allocates an appropriate proportion of the budget to support units transitioning to non-public units in investing and upgrading their material infrastructure, equipment, technology... Effectively implement the National Target Program on Culture.

5. Fully utilize the conditions allowed by legal normative documents such as the Law on Cultural Heritage, the Law on Publishing, the Enterprise Law, the Library Ordinance, the Advertising Ordinance, Decree 10/2002/ND-CP, Decree 59/2002/ND-CP... to expand and diversify forms of socialization of cultural activities by various economic components.

6. Strengthen inspection and supervision: This is one of the most important measures to ensure the successful implementation of the Plan and follow the correct direction of socializing cultural activities.

7. Focus on building and proposing the State to issue some special mechanisms and policies to create favorable conditions for the development of socialization of cultural activities:

7.1. Training policy.

- Mechanism and policy for training beyond the annual quota assigned (currently only one annual training quota is assigned for two types of training within and outside the budget); policy for apprenticeship training at traditional art troupes, training and nurturing young talents, and improving the qualifications of the cultural information cadre.

- Policy for retraining cadres and rejuvenating the cadre team and addressing the transitional phase of socializing public service units.

7.2. Mechanism and policy for mobilizing resources.

- Mobilize and diversify forms of contribution both domestically and internationally. Policy subjects facing difficulties are exempted or granted reductions in contributions.

- Subsidize costs for organizations and individuals and exempt compulsory labor for those serving political missions in remote areas.

7.3. Financial policy (tax incentives):

- Eligible for long-term and medium-term loans with lower interest rates than other economic sectors.

- Directly receive funding support from domestic and international contributions.

- Preferential import tax, value-added tax, corporate income tax for traditional cultural products; supplementary working capital from corporate income tax for certain types of operations.

- Study and propose reducing corporate income tax in economically and socially particularly difficult, difficult areas, and the remaining areas in accordance with the characteristics of the sector. Specifically, state-owned publishing, printing, and book distribution enterprises retain 100% of corporate income tax to supplement working capital.

- Ensure postal subsidy policies for transporting books and cultural goods to mountainous areas; increase book sponsorship for libraries, remote areas, and mountainous regions.

7.4. Land use policy:

- Expand the scope of preferential exemptions from land tax and land use fees; expand the scope of land users for cultural activities without paying land use fees and being exempted from land tax.

- Cultural-information facilities such as theaters, cinemas, cultural centers, museums, libraries... are prioritized by the State to be located in convenient positions, with street frontage, in densely populated residential areas.

7.5. Social policy, preferential treatment, and fairness in public service and business production between public and non-public units; equality in cultural enjoyment among ethnic groups and regions nationwide; policy for veteran artists, talented individuals, experienced professionals who have made significant contributions to the cultural cause. Preferential cultural enjoyment policies for policy subjects, people with meritorious service, the poor, and impoverished areas.

7.6. Reward policy.

- All contributors are recognized and rewarded by the State. Regulations on rewarding artists who win international awards.

- There is a mechanism and policy for rewarding and nurturing veteran artists who have made significant contributions to the cultural and information cause of the entire country.

- The State recognizes and confers prestigious titles on artisans working in traditional craft fields, folk culture and arts... and implements support policies to help artisans preserve, perform, present, and transmit intangible cultural heritage to future generations.

II. IMPLEMENTATION MEASURES

1. Responsibilities of all levels and sectors

- The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall establish a Steering Committee to implement Resolution 05 on accelerating socialization of cultural activities during the period of 2005-2010 and to implement the Planning for Socialization of Cultural Activities until 2010 nationwide at the central level (referred to as the Central Steering Committee). The Central Steering Committee shall be responsible for piloting, expanding, and organizing the implementation of socialization work throughout the sector according to the Government's guidelines and the Planning for Socialization of Cultural Activities until 2010 nationwide.

- The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall cooperate with relevant units to develop and promulgate within its authority documents on mechanisms and policies to implement the Planning for Socialization of Cultural Activities nationwide, and coordinate with the National Committee of the Vietnam Federation of Literature and Arts, specialized central literature and art associations, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, the Vietnam Women's Union, the Farmers' Association, the Veterans' Association... to participate in implementing the Planning for Socialization of Cultural Activities across breadth and depth.

- Provincial People's Committees shall base their actions on economic, cultural, and social conditions, direct the Departments of Culture and Information to develop and implement the Project on Planning the Development of Socialization of Cultural Activities until 2010 at the local level, and ensure that the content aligns with the approved Project on Planning by the Ministry of Culture and Information.

- The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall send representatives to join the Steering Committee established by the People's Committees of provinces and cities to implement Government Resolution No. 05/2005/NQ-CP on accelerating socialization of educational, health, cultural, and sports activities, and establish a Sub-committee to assist the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee, and Provincial Steering Committee in developing and implementing the Planning for Socialization of Cultural Activities until 2010 in their respective areas.

2. Implementation Plan for the Planning for Socialization of Cultural Activities until 2010

2.1 Period 2005-2006

- Extensively disseminate through all mass media and issue guidance documents to implement the planning for developing socialization of cultural activities throughout the sector.

- Coordinate with relevant agencies to build, supplement, and amend mechanisms and policies to encourage the socialization of cultural activities and submit them to the Government, Ministries, Committees, and sectors for issuance.

- Transition 100% of units currently operating under Government Decree 10 to service provision mechanisms (cultural service units) when the new mechanism takes effect.

- Select units intended for transition (choose units with high percentages of self-financing) to develop plans for transitioning to non-public forms (mainly private).

- Accelerate the restructuring and modernization of state-owned enterprises when the plan for continued restructuring and modernization of state-owned enterprises under the cultural and information sector becomes effective. For enterprises required to change ownership forms, prioritize the transformation of those with competitive advantages in the market.

Implement the transfer of state-owned enterprises to other ownership forms (concentrating on specific enterprises) among the total number of enterprises undergoing ownership changes according to the planning.

- Prioritize the formation of non-public bases for socialized cultural production, investing in material facilities and equipment for the construction of cultural works and cultural institutions in each region, area.

- By the end of 2006, organize a mid-term review meeting to evaluate and draw lessons from the implementation of the planning for developing socialization of cultural activities and directions for implementation in 2007-2010.

2.2 Period 2007-2010

- Continue to build, revise, and supplement regulatory documents to promote socialization of cultural activities and implement the planning for developing socialization of cultural activities.

- Pilot the transition (for units with transition plans) when conditions are met and draw lessons to organize large-scale transitions. Strive to complete 100% of targets set out in the Planning nationwide by 2010. After 2010, the State will review and guide the socialization of cultural activities based on actual circumstances, including reviewing and determining the number of public institutions that need to continue operating.

- Conduct annual reviews and comprehensive evaluations after five years of implementing the development of socialized cultural activities, focusing on drawing lessons from exemplary models of socialization in each region, field, and area to replicate nationwide.

2.3 Expected basic achievements when implementing the socialization of cultural activities

- Annex 6 attached hereto./.