Son Dong Commune Continuous Journey in New Rural Development

Defining that building an exemplary new rural area to improve the living standards and quality of life for its people, Son Dong commune has mobilized the entire political system into this cause. Benefiting from its traditional craft village, the service and trade sectors in Son Dong commune have developed strongly, helping generate jobs and increase income for both local residents and migrant workers.

Son Dong commune was established by merging the entire area and population of the former communes of Son Dong, Lai Yen, Tien Yen, and Van Canh, a larger part of Song Phuong commune, and a part of An Thuong, An Khanh, and Van Con communes (all in former Hoai Duc district). The implementation of the National Target Program on New Rural Development, Advanced New Rural Development, and Model New Rural Development has truly changed people's lives in Son Dong commune. Building on these achievements, the commune is committed to continuing new rural development together with the preservation of traditional culture, seeing this as a journey with no final destination.

Gathering public strength

Recognizing that the people are the main force and core of the National Target Program on New Rural Development, the Party Committee and the People's Committee of Son Dong Commune have made communication a crucial and breakthrough solution to ensure people fully understand the meaning, responsibilities, and goals of new rural development.

The new commune of Son Dong benefits from the fact that the old Lai Yen and Son Dong communes had already met model new rural development standards while the former communes of Tien Yen, Van Canh, and Song Phuong had achieved advanced new rural development standards.

Currently, 100% of the roads in the commune have been paved. Main routes are more than 5.5m wide and have lighting systems and trees. 100% of households have access to stable power supply, and 67% have access to clean water supplied by a centralized water supply system. 100% of canals and ditches are regularly dredged and improved, ensuring that over 92% of agricultural land is actively irrigated. 100% of residential villages have cultural institutions and regularly operating arts, sports, and physical fitness clubs. 100% of schools have met national standards.

Pham Gia Loc, Chairman of the People's Committee of Son Dong Commune, said: "New rural development requires high consensus and unity from the political system and the people. Following the motto "The State and the people work together" and based on the principle of 'the people know, the people discuss, the people do, the people inspect, the people supervise, and the people enjoy the benefits,' the National Target Program on New Rural Development in the commune has received active support from the people, who have contributed their assets and labor for their hometown to become better day after day." Currently, Son Dong has basically fulfilled all 19 criteria of advanced new rural development.

To achieve advanced new rural development status and move toward a model new rural development status, Son Dong will continue to complete remaining criteria, maintain, and improve the quality of new rural development criteria. The commune will develop and diversify rural trades, speed up economic restructuring, expand production, increase people's incomes, mobilize all resources to build infrastructure, enhance the quality of the living environment and the quality of education, and promote local cultural values to gradually make Son Dong a desirable place to live.

Preserving traditional cultural values

Over the years, authorities and people in Son Dong commune have constantly upheld their good traditions, actively developed the economy, maintained political security and social order, and especially advanced socio-cultural activities. The Vietnam Fatherland Front, unions, their members, and the people always strictly follow Party guidelines, State policies and laws, local regulations, and conventions and customs of residential areas.

Defining new rural development as a constant, continuous and unending process, Son Dong is working towards sustainable rural development goals, especially in the aspect of preserving traditional cultural values, said Mr. Loc. This is considered a central and continuous task for the entire political system and the local people. The commune has also focused on communication and mobilized people to effectively participate in the campaigns "All people unite to build new rural areas and civilized urban areas" and "All people unite to build a cultured life."

With a history spanning over 1,000 years, the art of sculpture, statuary gold leafing, and lacquering from Son Dong craft village has kept building the fame of the fine craftsmanship. Local artisans and workers always focus on preserving and promoting traditional values and essence passed down through thousands of years. Currently, the craft village employs over 4,000 people, generating hundreds of billions of Vietnamese dong in annual income. Its products are regularly sent to fairs and exhibitions in the city, across the country, and all over the world.

Meritorious Artisan Nguyen Viet Thanh said that, in a bid to preserve and promote its traditional values, in 2007, Son Dong craft village was recognized by Vietnam Records as the "Largest Buddhist Statue and Worship Object Sculpting Village in Vietnam." In June 2024, Son Dong was recognized by the Department of Industry and Trade as a "Center for OCOP and Handicraft Design, Innovation, Introduction, Promotion and Marketing." In early 2025, the craft village registered to join the World Handicraft Network. This was also an opportunity for it to integrate with the world, develop tourism and earn higher income. The development of Son Dong craft village has been a testament to the results of honoring, preserving, and promoting traditional values.

Nguyen Truc Anh, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the People's Council of Son Dong Commune, stated that the commune always prioritizes the preservation, restoration, and promotion of tangible and intangible cultural heritage values. It effectively maintains and promotes the campaign "All people unite to build a cultured life." Building on these achievements, Son Dong will continue to foster the good traditional cultural values that it has. The commune strives for 92% of villages and residential blocks to achieve and maintain the title of "cultural unit," 93.5% of families to be recognized as "cultural families," 96% of agencies and units certified to meet "cultural standards," and 100% of villages and residential blocks to have cultural houses or community centers. At the same time, the locality is actively working hard to develop culture and build elegant and civilized people of Son Dong.

By Ngoc Dan, Vietnam Business Forum