Preserving traditional Vietnamese family values.
(Comrade)Hoang Thi Quynh Anh- The Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, answering questions from a reporter of Nghe An Newspaper on Vietnamese Family Day.
PV:It is known that the theme of the 2013 Year of the Vietnamese Family is "Connecting with Love," with communication messages such as "Family is the home of each person, the healthy cell of society," and "Let love warm your home." Could you elaborate on the significance of this theme?
Comrade Hoang Thi Quynh Anh:On February 19, 2013, the Prime Minister signed Official Letter No. 251/TTg-KGVX designating 2013 as the Year of the Vietnamese Family. The purpose was to raise awareness among Party committees, government agencies, the Vietnam Fatherland Front at all levels, and the entire society about the family, its role in society, the country, and for individuals. Simultaneously, it directed ministries, sectors, provinces, and cities to organize appropriate, specific, and practical activities to promote family work; and to strengthen propaganda and mobilization efforts to encourage people to actively build prosperous, equal, progressive, and happy families.
The theme of the 2013 Vietnamese Family Year was "Connecting with Love." Love, care, close relationships, harmony, and unity among family members are essential and crucial elements for a happy and progressive family. There will be no conflict, no violence, no discrimination between daughters and sons, and family members will not be involved in social vices or violate the law within a loving and connected family. Strong, responsible relationships within the family also form the foundation for healthy relationships outside the home, contributing to a stable and civilized society.
Promoting the theme of the Year of the Vietnamese Family will raise awareness among everyone that love is the core of family happiness and the happiness of each individual, contributing to limiting and reducing domestic violence and family breakdowns, and preventing social evils from infiltrating families. Alongside the efforts to build warm and happy families, all sectors of the population will actively participate in building cultural villages and new rural cultural communes.
A family meal. Photo: PV
PV:Comrade, there are many opinions suggesting that the image of the traditional family is gradually fading away. In the past, when life was difficult and impoverished, families were close-knit and warm; now, with greater prosperity and abundance, the family has become more fragile and vulnerable. And what worries many people is, "How can we preserve the traditional way of life in each Vietnamese family?" As the governing body, what activities has the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism undertaken in recent times to contribute to preserving the traditional values and customs of Vietnamese families?
Comrade Hoang Thi Quynh Anh:Traditional Vietnamese families placed great emphasis on building family values, customs, and rituals. Traditional family culture is rich in humanistic values, upholding moral principles, fostering a cultured and orderly lifestyle, cultivating character and resilience, and making the family a healthy cell of society. Each good family ensures a prosperous nation, a strong country, and a developed and civilized society.
Currently, many families are affected by the market economy. Parents are preoccupied with work, prioritizing money over morality and intellect, neglecting their children. This leads to children becoming delinquent, addicted to drugs, and sexually abused, especially with the alarming increase in gender inequality, divorce, and domestic violence. The good customs, identity, and traditions of Vietnamese families are fading. Recognizing that family culture is the "root" of village and national culture, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has recently promoted the movement to build culturally exemplary families and villages throughout the province.
Among the criteria for a "Culturally Exemplary Family" and a "Culturally Exemplary Village," preserving and promoting national cultural identity is a key objective. The movement has truly deepened and spread widely, with an increasing percentage of culturally exemplary families and a continuously improving quality of the "Culturally Exemplary Family" title. Several districts, cities, and towns have proactively and creatively developed the "Culturally Exemplary Clan" title. In various localities, on Vietnamese Family Day, annual events are held to commend and reward families with multiple generations living together harmoniously; families raising healthy and well-behaved children; Catholic families who "live a good life and uphold moral values"; and families excelling in economic activities. The movement has contributed to preserving Vietnamese family traditions while enriching the cultural life in residential areas, especially in rural and mountainous regions.
In addition, the department has implemented the "Propaganda and Education on Ethical and Lifestyle Values of Vietnamese Families" project, piloted in Dong Van commune, Thanh Chuong district, and achieved many positive results. In the coming time, the department will expand this project throughout the province. Furthermore, a plan for preventing and combating domestic violence throughout the province for the period 2012-2015 and subsequent years has been implemented. Over the past six years, under the direction of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and with active support from the Ford Foundation, the Provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has selected Cua Lo town to build a highly effective network of domestic violence prevention and control facilities. The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism is planning to expand this model throughout the province next year. These activities also contribute significantly to building traditional cultural families.
PV:In response to the 2013 Vietnamese Family Year, what specific programs and plans has the provincial cultural sector developed?
Comrade Hoang Thi Quynh Anh:In 2013 alone, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism proactively advised the Provincial People's Committee to issue Decision No. 1643/QD.UBND.VX, dated May 7, 2013, on the Plan for implementing the "Strategy for the Development of Vietnamese Families until 2020, with a vision to 2030, in Nghe An province"; in 2013, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism continued to advise the Provincial People's Committee to issue the Plan for implementing Resolution No. 81/NQ-CP dated December 4, 2012, of the Government on implementing the Notice of Conclusion No. 26-TB/TU dated May 9, 2011, of the Secretariat of the Central Committee on the preliminary review of Directive No. 49-CT/TU dated February 21, 2005, of the Secretariat of the Central Committee (9th term) on "building families in the period of industrialization and modernization of the country" in Nghe An province. Plan for implementing Government Decree No. 02/2013/ND-CP dated January 3, 2013, regulating family affairs, and advising on the establishment of Steering Committees for Family Affairs at the provincial, district, and commune levels.
In response to the 2013 Year of the Vietnamese Family, the Department implemented a plan to all districts, cities, and towns regarding the organization and implementation of family-related work in 2013; it chaired and coordinated with relevant sectors to organize propaganda and visual promotion activities for Vietnamese Family Day on June 28th, World Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 25th, and International Happiness Day in 2014; it guided districts, cities, and towns in organizing the Conference to Commend Exemplary Cultural Families in the period 2007-2012 and to summarize the 5-year implementation of the Law on Prevention and Control of Domestic Violence in the period 2008-2013; and it coordinated with the Provincial Radio and Television Station and the Provincial Women's Union to organize a seminar on "Family Happiness" on NTV on Vietnamese Family Day. The Provincial Cultural Center, in coordination with other units in the sector, will organize an art exchange night to celebrate Vietnamese Family Day on the evening of June 27th at Ho Chi Minh Square. With these specific activities, it will certainly contribute to strongly promoting the participation of the entire society in family affairs to achieve the desired success.
PV:Thank you for this interesting conversation. On the occasion of Vietnamese Family Day, I wish you always be a "warm flame" nurturing family happiness.
Thanh Thủy (compiled)
