Momentum for upgrading

Due to the impact of the global economic crisis, many people consider 2023 to be a year of “sad economy”, but that does not mean that spiritual activities in Ho Chi Minh City will become a void. In 2024, cultural and entertainment events in Ho Chi Minh City will continue to strive to position the role of “creative culture” in Ho Chi Minh City, gradually improving quality, and acting as a driving force for the development of cultural industries.

The Can Gio Whale Festival is a national intangible cultural heritage. Photo: DUNG PHUONG

Foundation from cultural heritage

Besides the excitement of entertainment activities that are attracting audiences, the cultural heritage sector, which requires depth and is somewhat quieter than general cultural and artistic activities, has also gradually expressed the city's identity through many first-time events such as: Ho Chi Minh City River Festival; local tourism products to preserve and promote the value of cultural and historical heritage in each district and Thu Duc City...

Cultural heritage is focused on and mentioned a lot, which is certainly a good sign for the elevation and construction of the city's identity. In the process of national development, our Party has always attached importance to cultural development and has issued many resolutions. The 13th National Party Congress continued to affirm the special role and significance of building and developing Vietnamese culture and people in the orientation of national development for the period 2021-2030: "Developing comprehensive human beings and building an advanced Vietnamese culture, imbued with national identity so that culture truly becomes an endogenous strength, a driving force for national development and national defense".

Arts and entertainment activities in Ho Chi Minh City have also begun to focus on building on the cultural heritage of the city over 300 years of formation. Statistics as of the end of 2022 show that the city has 185 historical and cultural relics, including 2 special national relics, 58 relics ranked as national relics and 125 relics at the city level.

In addition, the city also has intangible cultural heritages such as: Can Gio Nghinh Ong Festival, Nguyen Tieu Festival, Khai Ha - Cau An Ceremony..., and a number of craft villages such as: Phu Tho glass blowing and leather tanning (District 11); Central My Tay wood carving (District 12); An Hoi bronze casting (Go Vap District); Mai village (Thu Duc District)..., contributing significantly to the unique appearance of the old Saigon - Gia Dinh land and Ho Chi Minh City today.

Creative positioning from cultural industry

In the roadmap to enhance its brand and position its “creative culture”, Ho Chi Minh City is also one of the leading localities in the country in building the Project to develop the cultural industry of Ho Chi Minh City until 2030. From this project, a solid foundation has been created for cultural industries to become an effective tool to promote economic growth and innovation, turning culture into an important element of trade and competition.

Recognizing the role of cultural industries in Ho Chi Minh City, Dr. Pham Van Luan (Ho Chi Minh City University of Culture) expressed: “Cultural industry is a creative and consistent approach when building Ho Chi Minh City into a creative city, opening up opportunities to make the most of important resources from artisans, artists, scientists, businessmen..., effectively exploiting material facilities and spiritual assets that are social resources that are being “forgotten” such as: Phu Tho Racecourse with a history of hundreds of years of fame is now abandoned, A Glimpse of Vietnam Craft Village is in a state of inactivity... will be revived in the spirit of “traditional creativity”.

The cultural industry in the environment of a creative city will create a positive effect with the spread of creative culture and global connection, increasing the scientific content and traditional cultural capital of Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City, opening up and developing the ability to adapt quickly and persistently, and the creative labor of the city's people.

Ho Chi Minh City's future plan is to gradually demonstrate its potential and identity to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). These steps are not too hasty, when a number of other cities across the country have joined the UCCN, because cultural and artistic activities, or simple entertainment in Ho Chi Minh City not only meet the spiritual needs of the people, but are also a stepping stone for the city to elevate its activities, contributing to promoting the image, people, and identity of the city of more than 300 years to the region and internationally.

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