Directive No. 814-TTg on strengthening management and establishing discipline in cultural activities and cultural services, and intensifying the eradication of serious social evils.

DIRECTIVE

REGARDING THE ENFORCEMENT OF MANAGEMENT AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DISCIPLINE IN CULTURAL ACTIVITIES AND CULTURAL SERVICES TO STRONGLY ELIMINATE SEVERE SOCIAL EVILS

I. IN RECENT YEARS, CULTURAL ACTIVITIES HAVE DEVELOPED IN MANY ASPECTS. NATIONAL CULTURE HAS BEEN GIVEN ATTENTION FOR PRESERVATION AND PROMOTION, MANY TRADITIONAL CULTURAL FORMS HAVE BEEN RESTORED, AND NEW CULTURAL LIFEFORMS HAVE EMERGED IN MANY LOCATIONS. CULTURAL EXCHANGES WITH FOREIGN COUNTRIES ARE BECOMING MORE EXPANDED. THE LEVEL OF CULTURAL ENJOYMENT BY THE PEOPLE HAS INCREASED.

HOWEVER, MANY UNHEALTHY PHENOMENA IN CULTURAL ACTIVITIES AND SERVICES, AS WELL AS SOME SEVERE SOCIAL EVILS, ARE CAUSING NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON SOCIETY. THROUGH SMUGGLING ROUTES, MANY TYPES OF VIDEO CASSETTES, MUSIC CASSETTES, BOOKS, PERIODICALS, AND PUBLICATIONS WITH DEGENERATE CONTENT, PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIAL, AND MATERIAL INCITING VIOLENCE ARE CIRCULATING IN SOCIETY. INSIDE THE COUNTRY, MANY POOR QUALITY CULTURAL PRODUCTS THAT DESTROY TRADITIONAL VALUES OF THE NATION ALSO APPEAR. PUBLICITY CAMPAIGNS TO PROMOTE CIVILIZED LIFESTYLES HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN SUFFICIENT ATTENTION AND HAVE PRODUCED FEW EFFECTS. LOOSE MANAGEMENT IN ADVERTISING IS PREVALENT IN MANY PLACES. OF PARTICULAR CONCERN IS THE INCREASE IN SERIOUS CRIMES, INCLUDING MANY YOUTH CRIMINALS, INCREASING DIVORCES, FAMILY BREAKUPS, AND HOMELESS CHILDREN. SOCIAL EVILS SUCH AS PROSTITUTION, DRUG USE, GAMBLING CONTINUE TO OCCUR IN MANY FORMS IN BROTHELS, DRUG INJECTION SITES, OR HIDING IN HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, KARAOKE SPOTS, NIGHTCLUBS, AND PUBS. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE INFECTED WITH HIV/AIDS IS INCREASING QUICKLY.

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THE ABOVE SITUATION HAS MANY CAUSES, BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE RESPONSIBLE AUTHORITIES AT ALL LEVELS OF THE STATE HAVE NOT FULLY REALIZED THE SEVERE HARM OF DEGENERATE CULTURE AND SOCIAL EVILS, AND HAVE RELAXED MANAGEMENT AND FAILED TO ORGANIZE EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE THESE PHENOMENA FROM SOCIAL LIFE.

TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS OF ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT, RAISE THE POPULATION'S EDUCATIONAL LEVEL, PRESERVE THE NATIONAL IDENTITY, CREATE A HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT, AND CREATE A HEALTHY SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT TO PROMOTE THE REFORM EFFORTS, ALL SECTORS AND LEVELS MUST IMPLEMENT THE RESOLUTION OF THE FOURTH PLANNING SESSION OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SEVENTH TERM, DIRECTIVE 321 OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE STATE COUNCIL, DIRECTIVE 33 OF THE SECRETARIAT, AND MANY LAWS, RESOLUTIONS, AND DECISIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT ON CULTURAL ACTIVITIES AND THE COMBATING OF SOCIAL EVILS, FOCUSING ON ORGANIZING A NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO:

- STRONGLY ELIMINATE HARMFUL CULTURAL PRODUCTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH DEGENERATE, PORNOGRAPHIC, AND VIOLENCE-INCITING CONTENT, MANIFESTED IN FILMS, VIDEO CASSETTES, MUSIC CASSETTES, BOOKS, PERIODICALS, CALENDARS, PAINTINGS, PHOTOS, ADVERTISEMENTS, AND IN THE OPERATIONS OF CULTURAL FACILITIES (THEATRES, MOVIE THEATRES, CLUBS, NIGHTCLUBS, KARAOKE SPOTS), HOTELS, RESTAURANTS...

- STRONGLY ELIMINATE SOCIAL EVILS SUCH AS PROSTITUTION, DRUG USE, GAMBLING, LOTTERY; THOSE WHO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CULTURAL AND ENTERTAINMENT ACTIVITIES TO ENGAGE IN ILLEGAL BUSINESS.

TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS, THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS NEED TO BE PERFORMED:

- WIDELY MOTIVATE THE PEOPLE TO VOLUNTARILY ELIMINATE HARMFUL CULTURAL PRODUCTS, COMPLY WITH LEGAL REGULATIONS, CONDEMN AND REPORT WRONGDOINGS THAT ARE INAPPROPRIATE TO THE TRADITIONAL ETHICS OF THE NATION.

- STRENGTHEN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE STATE ADMINISTRATION UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF PARTY COMMITTEES AT ALL LEVELS. EDUCATE AND ENCOURAGE PARTY MEMBERS, STATE EMPLOYEES TO SET EXAMPLES IN COMPLYING WITH THE LAW.

- PAY ATTENTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL, MODERN, AND HUMANISTIC CULTURE, PRESERVING TRADITIONAL CUSTOMS AND MANNERS, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY STRICTLY PROHIBIT THE SPREAD OF DEGENERATE CULTURE THAT VIOLATES THE PERSONALITY, ETHICS, AND GOOD WAY OF LIFE OF VIETNAMESE PEOPLE.

- CLOSELY COORDINATE AMONG SECTORS AND ASSOCIATIONS, PREPARE FULLY LEGAL FOUNDATIONS, ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES, AND FORCES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STRUGGLE, WITH A PLAN TO IMPLEMENT IN A CONCENTRATED AND SYNCHRONOUS MANNER, DOING EVERYTHING IN A COMPREHENSIVE WAY BUT WITH FOCUS.

II. THE MAIN CONTENTS OF THIS CAMPAIGN ARE AS FOLLOWS.

1- IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF FILMS, VIDEO CASSETTES, MUSIC CASSETTES, BOOKS, PERIODICALS, CALENDARS, PAINTINGS, PHOTOS:

PAY ATTENTION TO THE PRODUCTION AND IMPORT OF FILMS, VIDEO CASSETTES, MUSIC CASSETTES WITH HEALTHY CONTENT AND ARTISTIC QUALITY MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE. REGULATE THE ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION OF UNITS INVOLVED IN PRODUCTION AND IMPORT; STRICTLY CHECK THE DISTRIBUTION OF FILMS, VIDEO CASSETTES, MUSIC CASSETTES.

STRICTLY PROHIBIT THE DISTRIBUTION OF FILMS, VIDEO CASSETTES, MUSIC CASSETTES, BOOKS, PERIODICALS, PAINTINGS, PHOTOS WITH DEGENERATE, PORNOGRAPHIC, AND VIOLENCE-INCITING CONTENT. CONFISCATE AND DESTROY SUCH CULTURAL PRODUCTS, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY SEVERELY HANDLE ANY ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS VIOLATING THE LAW.

2- IN THE OPERATIONS OF CULTURAL FACILITIES (THEATRES, MOVIE THEATRES, CLUBS, NIGHTCLUBS, KARAOKE SPOTS...):

ENSURE HEALTHY CULTURAL CONTENT AND QUALITY; ENSURE ORDER, SANITATION, AND CULTURAL LIFESTYLE. SEVERELY HANDLE THOSE WHO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CULTURAL ACTIVITIES TO SPREAD DEGENERATE, PORNOGRAPHIC, AND VIOLENCE-INCITING CULTURAL PRODUCTS, ORGANIZE ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS PROSTITUTION, DRUG USE, GAMBLING, AND LOTTERY.

3- DEVELOP SPECIFIC REGULATIONS FOR CULTURAL AND SERVICE ACTIVITIES IN HOTELS, LODGINGS, RESTAURANTS, BARS, CAFÉS.

SEVERELY HANDLE THE HEADS OF BROTHELS, MIDDLEMEN OF PROSTITUTION, ORGANIZERS OF DRUG INJECTION SITES, GAMBLING, AND LOTTERY, EVEN THOSE USING SUBTLE METHODS. SEVERELY HANDLE STATE EMPLOYEES, OFFICIALS RESPONSIBLE FOR STATE FACILITIES, MILITARY FORCES, AND POLITICAL-SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS WHO PARTICIPATE IN OR ASSIST IN THESE ACTIVITIES.

4- AT PUBLIC PLACES (STREETS, PARKS, TRAIN STATIONS, BUS STATIONS...):

STEP-BY-STEP BUILD AND UPGRADE INFRASTRUCTURE, ENSURE ORDER AND SANITATION IN PARKS, TRAIN STATIONS, BUS STATIONS, AND PUBLIC RECREATION FACILITIES FOR THE PEOPLE AND CHILDREN. STRENGTHEN MANAGEMENT, PREVENT AND ELIMINATE PROSTITUTION, DRUG USE, GAMBLING, LOTTERY, AND ACTIONS THAT DISRUPT PUBLIC ORDER AND SANITATION.

STRICTLY IMPLEMENT REGULATIONS ON ADVERTISING AND SIGNS AT PUBLIC PLACES.

5- REGARDING GAMBLING AND LOTTERY:

Thi hành nghiêm các quy định về hoạt động quảng cáo và về biển hiệu tại các địa điểm công cộng.

5- Đối với hoạt động đánh bạc, số đề:

Propaganda and education shall be conducted to ensure that the people fully understand the law, recognize gambling and lottery betting as illegal acts; at the same time, improve the issuance of lotteries.

State management agencies must strengthen social management work, conduct investigations and research, closely monitor gambling and lottery betting subjects, classify them, and establish files for timely handling. Sweep away gambling and lottery betting dens. Deal with those participating in gambling and severely punish the organizers of gambling and lottery betting.

III. MINISTRIES, AGENCIES OF THE SAME RANK AS MINISTRIES, GOVERNMENT-RELATED ORGANIZATIONS, AND PEOPLE'S COMMITTEES OF PROVINCES AND CITIES SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR GUIDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GOVERNMENT DECREE AND THE PRIME MINISTER'S DIRECTIVE ON THIS ISSUE WITHIN THEIR OWN MINISTRIES, SECTORS, AND LOCALITIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR FUNCTIONS AND AUTHORITY. MINISTRIES, SECTORS, AND LOCALITIES MUST REGARD THIS AS A KEY TASK FOR THE CURRENT YEAR AND SUBSEQUENT YEARS, CLOSELY LINKED TO OTHER KEY TASKS TO ENSURE HIGH LEVELS OF DIRECTION, ADMINISTRATION, AND ORGANIZATION IN IMPLEMENTATION.

Ministries and local People's Committees are assigned the following tasks:

1- Ministry of Culture and Information:

a) Take the lead in coordinating with the Ministries of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, Home Affairs, Justice, Commerce, Health, General Department of Tourism, and General Customs Department to direct the implementation of management tasks according to laws and current regulations on cultural activities and cultural services.

b) Coordinate with the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs to propagate and educate about combating harmful cultural influences and eliminating social evils in schools, mass organizations, economic and cultural organizations, military units, and police units. Coordinate in widely propagating and disseminating the contents of the Decree and Directive on this issue so that all strata of the population, each citizen, and each family clearly understand, respond positively, and voluntarily comply. Guide mass media agencies to regularly provide information and promote this struggle.

c) Coordinate with the Ministries of Home Affairs, Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, and Commerce to organize inspections and strictly handle violations of order and discipline in cultural activities and cultural service activities.

d) Develop plans and measures to expand the scale and improve the quality of cultural activities, providing healthy audiovisual tapes and music discs to gradually meet the cultural needs of the people; guide business operations for film screening facilities and public cultural activity venues.

đ) Organize and restructure cultural and service facilities under the Ministry of Culture and Information. Strengthen the workforce directly involved in managing cultural activities at the grassroots level.