Cultural activities will be held across Vietnam on 24 November to celebrate Culture Day for the first time, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.
According to the ministry’s plan, a performing arts week will be held in October and November, featuring drama, puppetry, circus, traditional opera, folk opera, reformed opera, music, and dance.
The plan also includes the eighth Hanoi International Film Festival, a festival highlighting the traditional costumes of ethnic groups, and a book fair.
Furthermore, museums and historical sites across the country will hold special exhibitions and cultural heritage activities, including demonstrations of intangible cultural heritage practices, local daily Vietnam News reported.
National ‘spiritual rendezvous’
In a recent interview with the Vietnam News Agency, Bui Hoai Son, a National Assembly (NA) deputy from Hanoi and a member of the NA Committee for Cultural and Social Affairs, said that the designation of November 24 as Culture Day carries significance beyond creating another paid holiday.
He said it affirms that culture must stand on equal footing with economy, politics, and society in Vietnam’s national development strategy.
Son said culture has long been regarded as the spiritual foundation of society, an internal strength, and a driver of development, but turning that principle into reality requires concrete policies.
He said designating a day for society to pause and engage with culture would create a national “spiritual rendezvous,” allowing citizens to reconnect with their cultural identity, families, communities, traditions, and the values shaping Vietnamese character.
In a modern society increasingly driven by work, consumption, and technology, the day could remind people that life also depends on memories, beliefs, ethics, and a sense of belonging.
If organized effectively, Culture Day could make cultural activities more accessible.
Culture Day particularly creates opportunities for children, workers, and people in remote or underserved areas to visit museums, historical sites, libraries, and creative spaces.
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Avoiding ‘administrativising’ culture
Son warned against turning Culture Day into simply another day off.
Without accessible, engaging, and meaningful cultural activities, the purpose of the occasion could be lost.
He said the day should avoid “administrativising” culture.
It should promote “socializing” cultural experiences that allow people to participate actively rather than merely attend formal ceremonies.
Son said the ultimate goal is for citizens to regard the day as their own rather than an event controlled by the cultural administration.
For culture to become a true driver of development, he said society must change its mindset and recognize that culture is not only a legacy of the past, but also a resource for the future.
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