Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW of the Politburo on the development of Vietnamese culture, which has just been issued, has unanimously chosen November 24th every year as "Vietnamese Cultural Day", with the policy of being a holiday, workers are paid, is a major event with many layers of meaning.
First, with this holiday, Vietnamese workers will have 12 holidays and Tet holidays in the year, instead of just 11 days as stipulated by the Labor Code.
This shows the concern of the Party and State for spiritual life so that the people, including workers, can improve their ability to enjoy culture; the team of artists and writers is encouraged to be creative; and the whole society promotes and practices a cultural and civilized lifestyle.
Next, it must be frankly admitted that for many years, culture has been frequently mentioned as "spiritual foundation", "endocrine momentum", but in reality, it is not always given commensurate priority.
Taking a day off paid for culture is the way the State creates material conditions for society to truly participate and experience cultural values, instead of just talking about them.
It is also necessary to emphasize that, before Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW of the Politburo on the development of Vietnamese culture, in recent years, we had a view and issued many major changes in culture policies.
Typically, the National Cultural Conference implemented the Resolution of the 13th Party Congress on the field of culture at the end of 2021. Or the Prime Minister's decisions on approving the Strategy for Cultural Development to 2030 and the Strategy for Development of Cultural Industries to 2030, vision 2045.
It can be said that Vietnamese culture has been and is being elevated from these events and decisions. And the event taking November 24th every year as "Vietnamese Cultural Day" is a highlight, a milestone of qualitative change.
At the same time, this is also a milestone, showing that Vietnam now not only places culture at the center of the country's development strategy, but also focuses on people, taking people as the center of development.
Of course, there will be many challenges in practice that need to be solved, because a "Vietnamese Cultural Day" - a holiday - cannot itself elevate the culture of a country or create a rich and valuable cultural life.
But once culture is returned to its right central position, participating in laying the foundation for true sustainable development and growth, then society will certainly have more spiritual support to enter a new era of development.
