The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) has issued a document responding to the proposal of voters in Ninh Binh province on studying and advising on merging "Great National Unity Day" (November 18) with "Vietnam Cultural Festival" (November 24) to jointly organize cultural and community activities.
Regarding this content, Member of the Party Central Committee, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Lam Thi Phuong Thanh has responded in writing as follows:
November 18th every year is the Traditional Day of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and also the Great National Unity Day, as stipulated in the Law on the Vietnam Fatherland Front.
This day aims to celebrate the birth of the Vietnam National United Front, promote patriotism, consolidate and strengthen the great national unity bloc, and encourage all classes of people to participate in building and protecting the Fatherland.
Meanwhile, November 24th every year is Vietnam Culture Day, agreed upon by the Politburo in Resolution 80 on the development of Vietnamese culture with the policy of being a holiday, and workers are entitled to full salary.
This day is also for the People to improve their ability to enjoy culture, for the team of artists to be encouraged to create, and for the whole society to promote and practice a civilized and cultured lifestyle.
This day has also been stipulated in Resolution 28/2026 of the National Assembly on the development of Vietnamese culture. At the same time, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 1111/QD-TTg dated June 19, 2026 on the plan to organize Vietnam Culture Day in the period 2026 - 2030.
The organization of anniversaries, traditional days, and major events during the year all aims to promote traditional historical and cultural values, Vietnamese people, and patriotic tradition education, values that arouse the aspiration to develop a prosperous and happy country.
However, each anniversary is established on the basis of different historical, political, and cultural events, with their own purposes, meanings and organizational requirements, creating diversity and richness in the political, cultural, and social life of the country" - the document signed by Minister Lam Thi Phuong Thanh clearly stated.
With Vietnam Culture Day, the Politburo decided to choose November 24 every year not only to have a day to honor Vietnamese culture, but also to affirm the position and particularly important role of culture as a foundation, important endogenous resource, great driving force, pillar, regulating system for rapid and sustainable development of the country.
Along with that, raising awareness and responsibility of the entire political system and the whole society towards the cause of building and developing Vietnamese culture and people.
Encouraging the team of artists, intellectuals, and cultural workers to continue to create and contribute, and at the same time create conditions for the People to participate and create as subjects and enjoy cultural values, building a healthy and civilized cultural environment.
Thus, National Unity Day and Vietnam Culture Day have their own political, legal, meaningful, and goals, complementing each other, and resonate to achieve the goals and requirements that the Party, National Assembly, and law have identified for each event.
Accepting voters' opinions, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will continue to guide localities to organize Vietnam Culture Day activities in the spirit of the set goals, synchronously with other commemorative activities, ensuring practicality, efficiency, and suitability to local conditions.
