For the past few years, the movement to build a cultural life citywide has been widely deployed and spread throughout the community thanks to the pivotal role of grassroots cultural cadres.
Contributing to the development of the cultural movements

Cultural, artistic and sports activities in Vinh Trung Ward, Thanh Khe District have increasingly been responded to by a host of people. Photo: Children compete in chess at the Vinh Trung Ward Sports Festival in 2021. Photo by THIEN DUYEN

Mr Phan Huu Hung, a cultural-social officer of Vinh Trung Ward, Thanh Khe District has been earned his popularity among people thanks to his enthusiasm, responsibility, and ability to organize cultural activities, arts and sports events for more than 20 years. With his experience, dynamism in work and closeness to people, he has contributed significantly to the gradual development of local cultural movements.

As shared by Mr Hung, grassroots cultural officers have to determine to be concurrent with multitasking around the clock so it has been tough to do if being a lack of enthusiasm. In addition, these officials also need to be flexible, dynamic and creative to advise local leaders to organize practical and exciting cultural activities so as to draw more people’s attention to participate.

In the past, the locality’s cultural and sports activities did not concentrate on specific subjects so they were not attractive. Therefore, Mr Hung has built and submitted to his superiors organization movements and activities plans targeting each age group and audience. At the same time, he has tried his utmost to build more art, poetry, music and sports clubs. So far, ward-based cultural activities have been fairly diverse with 5 to 6 competitions per year and the clubs also attract more than 100 regular participants.

For many years now, Vinh Trung ward has always been one of the leading localities in the cultural and civilized movement of the district and the city. Currently, the ward has had 11 civilized urban roads and 2 safe, clean and beautiful alleys and more than 90% civilized families and groups locally. Besides, outdated customs, superstitions, and uncivilized behaviour have almost disappeared.

Devoted to the cause of local cultural development

In the same vein,  Mr Le Van Hoa, a social-cultural officer having more than 20 years of experience working in the grassroots culture of Hoa Son Commune, Hoa Vang District, said that to have a current complete cultural institution system from the village to the commune, it has been a constant striving journey of the Party Committee, the government and the locals.

As Mr Hoa was assigned the task of implementing cultural criteria in the national set of criteria for new rural construction, he actively propagated people through the radio system, meetings, and then made plans to advise leaders of communes and villages on the repair and construction of cultural houses, playgrounds and training grounds.

Thus far, 10/10 villages in Hoa Son Commune all have standard cultural houses and most villages have letters and arts teams, football clubs, volleyball clubs. Every year, a variety range of high-quality local cultural, artistic, physical training and sports activities are organized and received positive responses from residents.

In addition, since the locality has many communal houses, churches, propaganda and encouraging people to participate in preserving and promoting traditional cultural values and customs are also paid special attention.

According to Mr Hoa, most cultural cadres need to have a deep understanding of local traditions and customs besides being talented and enthusiastic. In particular, there must be a specific annual plan to deploy diverse and effective activities and movements to advise leaders to promptly make decisions suitable to the management, guidance and organization of building cultural life in the locality.

On top of that, one of the integral factors bringing vitality and substantive development to the cultural movement is those who are enthusiastic, always curious, creative and wholehearted for their work. This is not only found in Mr. Hung, Mr. Hoa but also in numerous individuals at the grassroots. With their attachment and love for their homelands, they have been daily contributing to the development of the movement to build a local cultural life.

Reporting by THIEN DUYEN- Translating by T.VY