November 24th each year is "Vietnamese Culture Day," a day when workers are entitled to a day off with full pay.

Investing in culture is investing in the sustainable development of the country and the future of the nation.

General Secretary To Lam has signed and promulgated Resolution 80 of the Politburo on the development of Vietnamese culture.

The resolution defines the viewpoint:

Developing culture and human resources is the foundation, an important endogenous resource, a great driving force, a pillar, and a regulating system for the rapid and sustainable development of the country;

Developing culture for the perfection of socialist human character in the new era and building human beings for cultural development;

Cultural development is a national undertaking led by the Party and managed by the State. The people are the creators and beneficiaries, with intellectuals, artists, cultural officials, and entrepreneurs playing a crucial role. Simultaneously, the pioneering and exemplary role of cadres and Party members is emphasized.

Investing in culture is investing in the sustainable development of the country and the future of the nation.

Maximizing the value and strength of Vietnamese culture and people in the new era.

Allocate at least 2% of the total annual state budget expenditure to culture, and gradually increase this amount as practical needs require.

The resolution also identifies seven key indicators for the development of Vietnamese culture:

- Complete the national cultural institution system, ensuring that 100% of local governments at both levels and the armed forces have cultural institutions that meet the needs of cultural creation and enjoyment for people at the grassroots level and officers and soldiers, and that 90% of grassroots cultural institutions operate regularly and effectively.

- Strive to complete the digitization of 100% of cultural heritage sites that have been ranked at the national and special national levels by 2026.

- 100% of students and trainees in the national education system have access to and effectively and regularly participate in art activities and cultural heritage education.

- Ensure adequate resources for cultural development; allocate at least 2% of the total annual state budget expenditure to culture, and gradually increase this amount according to practical needs.

- Establish financial mechanisms to prioritize implementation in three breakthrough areas: Training and rewarding talent in the fields of culture and arts; applying science, technology, and digital transformation in the cultural sector; and commissioning the creation of cultural works, literary works, and artistic works of high ideological, content, and artistic value, worthy of Vietnamese culture in the new era.

Implementing the policy of cultural socialization in the right direction and effectively; combating and overcoming the tendency towards "commercialization," which only prioritizes and elevates economic interests in cultural activities while neglecting social and humanitarian interests.

- Develop cultural industries that contribute 7% of GDP; establish 5-10 national brands in cultural industries in potential areas such as: film, performing arts, cultural tourism, design and fashion,...

- Successfully develop 5 international art festivals and cultural events focusing on film, music, and fine arts. Establish 1-3 more Vietnamese cultural centers abroad, prioritizing locations with comprehensive strategic partners. Strive for 5 more cultural heritage sites to be recognized and inscribed by UNESCO.

Eight key tasks and solutions outlined in the Resolution.

1. Strongly innovate thinking and achieve high consensus in understanding and action to develop culture in the new era;

2. Perfecting institutions to create strategic breakthroughs and unlock resources for cultural development;

3. Focus on building a well-rounded Vietnamese people and creating a humane, healthy, civilized, and modern cultural environment;

4. Innovate cultural management methods towards a constructive and service-oriented approach; promote the application of science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation to create breakthrough momentum for cultural development;

5. Building a cultural ecosystem that promotes innovation, with businesses as the driving force and the people as both the subjects and the center; identifying and appropriately managing cultural resources;

6. Promote the development of cultural industries and cultural markets, and position national brand cultural products in conjunction with the development of cultural tourism;

7. Mobilize and effectively utilize resources, develop infrastructure, and improve the quality of cultural human resources to meet the requirements of the new era;

8. Actively and proactively integrate internationally in the field of culture, promote Vietnamese cultural values, absorb the best of human culture, and contribute to increasing the nation's soft power.

It was unanimously agreed to choose November 24th each year as "Vietnamese Culture Day".

Notably, the Resolution also unanimously agreed to designate November 24th each year as "Vietnamese Culture Day," with the principle that it is a holiday on which workers receive full pay, so that the people can enhance their ability to enjoy culture, artists can be encouraged to create, and the whole society can promote and practice a cultured and civilized lifestyle.