Throughout his revolutionary life and career, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong always demonstrated a profound dedication to the cause of national culture building and development.

He was recognised as a great culturist, a shining example in cultural practice and a leader wholeheartedly dedicating to the advancement of Vietnamese culture imbued with national identity.

On the morning of February 7, 2018, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, along with other Party and State leaders, attended a gathering with intellectuals and artists in celebration of the Lunar New Year 2018 (Photo: VNA)

Preserving Culture, Preserving the Nation

According to Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong always gave priority and dedication to the cause of building and developing the national culture. He authored a number of articles and speeches that combine theoretical knowledge with practical experience, underscoring the crucial role of culture in the cause of national construction and defence

In most of his addresses at important conferences of the Party and the State, he passionately advocated for the revitalisation and development of national culture amid the complex interplay between tradition and modernity, the old and the new, and the challenges of integration versus the preservation of core, humane values of the nation.

Hung stressed that the General Secretary was a shining example of revolutionary ethics and a staunch advocate for the mission and vision set by the Party and President Ho Chi Minh: “Culture must guide the people”. His contributions have left a distinctive imprint on the early 21st-century Vietnamese history, particularly in culture.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has left a distinctive imprint on the early 21st-century Vietnamese history, particularly in culture (Photo: VNA)

With intellectual depth and passion for literature and arts, he cultivated a unique style that reflects the cultural traditions of a Bac Ha intellectual and the cultural style of Trang An, Thang Long, Dong Do and the thousand-year-old capital of Hanoi. He advised that “Human happiness does not lie merely in wealth, good food and fine clothes, but also in the richness of the soul, living amid love and compassion, righteousness and justice”.

Hung affirmed that the General Secretary’s repeated statement at the 2021 National Cultural Conference, “Culture is the soul of the nation, reflecting its identity. As long as culture endures, the nation endures”, serves as a guiding principle for the development of national culture. This perspective motivates cultural officials to continuously strive with determination and aspiration to rejuvenate and build a modern Vietnamese culture rich in national identity.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong attends the National Cultural Conference to realise Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress in November 2021 (Photo: VNA)

At the National Cultural Conference in 2021 which disseminated the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, the General Secretary called for the urgent establishment of national, cultural, familial, and new-era Vietnamese human values. Building these value systems is a way to firmly strengthen the ideological front, rejuvenate culture, and significantly contribute to developing the soft power and intrinsic strength needed for the sustainable national development.

Notably, on the final days of his life, the General Secretary approved the publication of the book entitled “Building and developing an advanced Vietnamese culture rich in national identity”. His articles, speeches, and talks on the construction and development of Vietnamese culture within this book serve as a “Declaration” and a “Lodestar” that chart the course for the development of an advanced Vietnamese culture rich in national identity.

Hung emphasised that the Party chief has left a special sentiment for the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and for each official, public servant and worker. The General Secretary’s significant and outstanding contributions to national construction and defence, particularly in the realm of culture, will endure over time.

A Warrior on the Cultural Front

In 1998, the 5th plenum of the 8th Party Central Committee adopted a resolution on building and developing Vietnamese culture rich in national identity. This resolution marked the first time the role of culture in national development had been clearly defined: culture is the spiritual foundation of society, serving both as a goal and a driving force of socio-economic development.

At the 9th meeting of the 11th Party Central Committee on building and developing Vietnamese culture and people in the new period in 2014 (Photo: VNA)

After 15 years of implementing the resolution, and driven by the practical needs for national development, the 9th meeting of the 11th Party Central Committee adopted a new resolution on building and developing Vietnamese culture and people to meet the requirements of sustainable national development.

At the National Cultural Conference in 2021, the General Secretary stated: “Economic development must be oriented towards the values of truth, goodness and beauty, with the ultimate goal of serving the lives of the Vietnamese people. Culture should be leveraged as an important endogenous driver of economic development and must be on par with politics and economy. Culture and economy have a dialectical relationship: the economy cannot progress without a cultural foundation, and culture not only reflects the economy but also influences its development”.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong attended a ceremony marking the VULA’s 75th founding anniversary in July 2023 (Photo: VNA)

In his address to the ceremony marking VULA’s 75th founding anniversary exactly one year ago, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong candidly pointed out: “The achievements in literature and arts we have obtained in recent years are not yet commensurate with the nation’s renewal process. The quality does not match the quantity, and there are few works that capture the public’s broad interest and resonate deeply with their hearts. There are also few masterpieces and great artists”. To fix these shortcomings, the leader urged artists to engage in open, constructive and responsible discussions.

Dong said the articles and speeches of the General Secretary reflected the profound and comprehensive thinking, as well as his thorough understanding of the special role and position of culture and the historical traditions of the Vietnamese people in the cause of national construction and defence. “Alongside his cultural vision and depth of cultural thought, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is also a man of culture and a warrior on the cultural front of the Party”, she stressed./.