From the photo of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and his family wrapping banh chung

In addition to the assessments and recognition of the General Secretary's great contributions to the glorious revolutionary cause of the Party, to the development of the country, and to the happiness of the people, the press and the online community also shared many simple moments of his daily life: a worn-out shirt, a pair of worn-out shoes, a public service car that he had been attached to for many years... Among them, there is a photo of General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong and his family wrapping banh chung.

On the 27th day of the Lunar New Year 2019, General Secretary - President Nguyen Phu Trong, his wife and two grandchildren wrapped Chung cakes at their home. This is one of the photos that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong allowed to be published for the first time and included in the book "Building and developing an advanced Vietnamese culture imbued with national identity", published by the Truth National Political Publishing House, launched on June 21, 2024.

In the middle of the photo, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong with silver hair, in simple clothes, is wrapping banh chung. Next to him is his wife - Mrs. Ngo Thi Man, and his two grandchildren (a boy, a girl). A familiar image like many Vietnamese families in this country on Tet holidays.

The corner of the house of the head of the Party and State appears very simple and modest, true to his personality and character. From the peeling, yellowed wall; the wall calendar to the old rice cooker, plastic pots, baskets, trays... made of rattan and bamboo... the photo has said a lot about the General Secretary's lifestyle. That is the concept of "preserving the family tradition", preserving the family culture that the General Secretary often mentions. Because, without culture, the family cannot exist.

Maintaining "family traditions" means educating the family, wife, children, and relatives to preserve the traditions and culture of the nation. The General Secretary often speaks in such a simple, easy-to-hear, easy-to-understand way about culture.

Also in this emotional stream, the press and social networks have published many articles and documents over the past week about the daily life stories of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, from when he was a poor student who loved to study, to when he was a student, graduated and became an Editor of the Communist Magazine; until he became Secretary of the City Party Committee, Chairman of the National Assembly, General Secretary... His words, gestures, and actions in his relationships with childhood friends, old teachers, and classmates... all exude a behavioral trait that only people who are cultured, love culture, and understand culture can have. That is, always being sincere and loyal to friends; ready to share difficulties with colleagues; polite and grateful to teachers, keeping the right way as a child of relatives and the village...

That is why, during his nearly three terms as General Secretary, he has always been interested in preserving and developing culture. At the 2021 National Cultural Conference, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized:"Culture is the soul of a nation, expressing the identity of a nation. As long as culture exists, the nation exists...".Culture creates national identity, enriches people's spiritual life and contributes to the comprehensive development of society.

Culture is not only the spiritual foundation of society but also an important endogenous resource for sustainable development. Culture helps shape human personality, creates noble moral and spiritual values, and contributes to building a fair, democratic and civilized society. Culture is also an important factor in enhancing the country's position and prestige in the international arena.

Therefore, for the country to develop sustainably, it must not only rely on economic and military strength but also on cultural strength, creating a solid foundation for sustainable and comprehensive development. The General Secretary believes that reading books not only helps improve knowledge but also helps people better understand the history, culture and traditions of the nation.

For more than 30 years (from the 1990s to the present), General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has had nearly 40 works and research projects on culture. Among them, the book "Building and developing an advanced Vietnamese culture with strong national identity" published last June is a consistent expression of the viewpoint on cultural development under the leadership of the Party.

Culture in the words of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is the concretization and realization of front-line issues, making culture closer, easier to use, and regulating sustainable development. All fields from politics, economics, diplomacy, military and defense are concretized with cultural perspectives and thinking, not entirely political stances and viewpoints. During the time of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, many concepts of culture appeared: political culture, diplomatic culture, military culture, ... and even ruling culture.

The diplomatic policy bearing the identity of “Vietnamese bamboo” that the General Secretary mentioned is also a manifestation of culture. A style of diplomacy that is sustainable, resilient, flexible, “soft and tight” that our ancestors have applied throughout the history of building and defending the country for thousands of years.

It is necessary to strengthen the management, protection and promotion of national cultural values, while preventing negative factors affecting traditional culture; helping people to be more aware of their role and responsibility in protecting national culture; promoting international cooperation on culture, considering it an important solution to promote Vietnam's soft power. This not only helps preserve and promote traditional cultural values ​​but also creates conditions for Vietnamese culture to absorb the quintessence of world culture.

The efforts and guidance of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong have contributed to preserving and developing traditional cultural values, while promoting the development and integration of Vietnamese culture. These contributions not only demonstrate the strategic vision of a leader but also set a shining example for the younger generation in protecting and promoting national culture. Thereby, Vietnamese culture is not only preserved but also increasingly developed, affirming its position in the era of integration and globalization./.