Fostering Rapid, Sustainable Development in Culture and Sports

Binh Dinh is known to have a long history and culture, with a wide variety of heritage resources. The cultural-sports sector has carried out many promotional activities to interest domestic and foreign tourists while preserving and promoting heritage values with many inclusive and practical solutions.

Dong Da-Tay Son Festival, one of the largest spring festivals in the country, is held annually in Binh Dinh province on the 4th and 5th days of the Lunar New Year

Upholding historical and cultural values

Binh Dinh used to be the capital of the former Champa Kingdom and is the homeland of national hero Quang Trung - Nguyen Hue. The province currently has 150 certified relics, including two special national relics, 34 national relics and 114 provincial relics; and 119 traditional festivals, with many carrying unique cultural identities like Ngoc Hoi - Dong Da Victory Festival (Tay Son district), Cho Go Festival, Ba Pagoda Festival - Nuoc Man Port (Tuy Phuoc district), Nhon Phong Lady Temple Festival, Phuong Danh Blacksmith Festival and Bang Chau Bronze Casting Festival (An Nhon town). Coastal localities organize fishing festivals and Cham H’roi rain praying rituals, along with many unique intangible cultural heritages like Boi singing, Bai Choi singing and traditional martial arts. The province is also the homeland and resting place of many famous cultural figures, poets and artists.

Regarding intangible cultural heritage preservation and promotion, Binh Dinh province now has 88 heritages classified by the following types: Folk literature, 04; Folk performing arts, 19; Social customs, 29; Traditional festivals, 17; Traditional crafts, 12; and Folk knowledge, 07.

Mr. Huynh Van Loi, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports, said: In 2024, the sector directed completing and coordinating many major cultural and sporting activities, events and festivals attended by a large number of people, helping introduce the image of Binh Dinh to domestic and international friends far and wide.

Particularly, some key tasks were well completed, including the art program to celebrate the Party founding and the Lunar New Year - the Year of the dragon, the 235th anniversary of Ngoc Hoi - Dong Da Victory (1789-2024, the mascot symbol creation in 2024, the 8th Binh Dinh People's Festival 2024 in Ho Chi Minh City, the 17th Binh Dinh Ethnic Minority Cultural - Sports Festival 2024, the Amazing Binh Dinh Fest Week - F1 H20 World Powerboat Championship Grand Prix, VnExpress Marathon Quy Nhon 2024, the ceremony to receive the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Certificate for "Phu Gia Horse Hat Making", the Binh Dinh Land and Sea Quintessence Festival 2024, the Bai Choi Singing Clubs Festival and the Binh Dinh Amateur Tuong Singing Festival 2024, and the ceremony to announce the national treasure of "Two stone lion statues of Do Ban Citadel". The department effectively implemented Project 6 on "Preserving and promoting fine traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities associated with tourism development" within the framework of the National Target Program on Socioeconomic Development of ethnic minority areas and mountainous areas in 2024. In particular, the agency coordinated with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to successfully organize the "Tourism, Cinema and Sports - Pride of Vietnamese Identity" Program.

Consistent solutions launched

The department advised the Provincial People's Committee and the Provincial People's Council to issue many policies regarding the conservation and promotion of heritage values, notably drafting and submitting to the Provincial People's Council for promulgation of Resolution 13/2024/NQ-HDND dated July 12, 2024 on a number of policies on the conservation and promotion of traditional art forms in Binh Dinh province in the 2024-2028 period; Resolution 14/2024/NQ-HDND dated July 12, 2024 on the content and level of support for publishing and information, support level for literary and artistic works and works created by Binh Dinh artists and winning awards in 2024 and 2025; Decision 849/QD-UBND dated March 13, 2024 ratifying the Binh Duong Outdoor Advertising Planning to 2030; and Decision 16/2024/QD-UBND dated May 24, 2024 on regulations on management, protection and promotion of historical - cultural relic values and scenic spots in Binh Dinh Province.

Moreover, the department made a summary report on projects of preserving and promoting Hat Boi singing and Bai Choi singing intangible cultural heritages in Binh Dinh province to 2020 and the project of safeguarding and promoting Bai Choi Art values in Central Vietnam - a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity in the province in 2019-2023.

The department also applied information technology to management and operation, carried out central and local digital transformation plans, strengthened the responsibility of leaders in performing public duties, strictly applied administrative discipline and order, and regularly monitored and inspected its employees in performing assigned tasks.

The Department of Culture and Sports will continue to effectively implement the Conclusion of the Party General Secretary at the National Cultural Conference and Conclusion 76-KL/TW dated June 4, 2020 of the Politburo; preserve, embellish and promote tangible and intangible heritage and culture values of the province; prioritize investment in construction, renovation, upgrading and restoration of cultural and sports institutions (building new Binh Duong Museum and proposing the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee on policies to plan and invest in the construction of the Binh Dinh Sports Complex and the Traditional Martial Arts Center).

Furthermore, the department will focus on building a good behavioral culture, and promoting traditional values and customs, especially in cyberspace; implement the National Cultural Development Program for the 2022-2030 period, the Program for preserving and promoting Vietnamese sustainable cultural heritage values for the 2021-2025 period, attracting investment fund to preserve and promote heritage values; implement the National Target Program on Cultural Development; build a digital cultural environment and a healthy cultural market; and develop the cultural industry and advance the "All people unite to build a cultural life" movement. The department will continue to coordinate in compiling documents in respect of Binh Dinh Traditional Martial Arts to submit to UNESCO for recognition as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity and organize the International Conference on "Protecting and promoting intangible cultural heritage and Binh Dinh Traditional Martial Arts", to be completed in 2025.

By doing so, the sector will boost the driving role of culture, sports and tourism for the sustainable development of the province and the country at large.

By Tran Trang, Vietnam Business Forum