The policy of merging some provincial-level units is not only a matter of streamlining the apparatus and improving the efficiency of state management, but also opens up important opportunities for culture to develop more strongly. When the administrative scale is expanded, the space for cultural development also has the conditions to expand further, creating diverse, rich cultural ecosystems with greater influence.
Opening up opportunities for cultural development
The merger of administrative units, from a cultural perspective, is not simply a matter of adjusting geographical boundaries, but also opens up opportunities to rebuild and improve the effectiveness of cultural institutions. When localities merge, instead of being dispersed, resources will be focused on re-planning the cultural institutional system... This helps replace the previously small, fragmented cultural institutions that operated at a standstill due to lack of funding, with large-scale cultural complexes, where artists have creative space and people have the opportunity to access quality artistic activities.
At the same time, after the merger, it is possible to attract more investment, contributing to the restoration of heritage, helping folk art forms not only remain memories in books but truly become a part of contemporary life.
Regarding this issue, Associate Professor Dr. Bui Hoai Son - Standing Member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Education affirmed that when lands are planned more systematically and resources are better concentrated, cultural preservation can also turn a new page.
According to Mr. Son, the merger of administrative units helps optimize resources, especially in terms of investment in culture. Instead of each locality having to struggle to maintain individual cultural institutions with limited resources, the merger will create stronger, more professional cultural centers, capable of organizing large-scale and high-quality artistic and creative activities. This not only helps preserve heritage more effectively but also promotes the development of cultural industries - an important driving force of the knowledge economy.
In addition, when localities merge, the exchange of customs, practices, festivals and heritage also becomes deeper. Culture is not confined within administrative boundaries but is placed in a larger space, where the unique values of each region have the opportunity to meet, complement and enrich each other. This is an important premise for building cultural brands of national significance, even reaching out to the international level, thereby creating tourism and art products with strong appeal.
Sharing the same view, cultural researcher Ngo Huong Giang said that merging and streamlining for development is an inevitable trend of civilized society. The merger of administrative units does not cause the loss of the original regional cultural identity as some opinions worry; on the contrary, it will be an opportunity for regional cultural values to intertwine and develop together, especially public investment in culture after the merger.
Promoting the role of local government
In the face of change, along with new opportunities, there are also challenges. How can we ensure that each locality, even though it is no longer an independent administrative unit, still retains its own identity?
According to experts, to solve this problem, there needs to be specific policies to honor the value of each region, while promoting the power of regional connectivity and linkages. The most important thing is to change the mindset of cultural management in the new context.
If in the past, culture was managed by each small administrative unit, now a long-term vision and a development strategy of inter-regional and inter-sectoral nature are needed. Local authorities are not only preservers, but also must become "organizers" and "leaders", helping culture develop not only with state resources but also through the participation of the community, businesses and creative people.
Cultural researcher Ngo Huong Giang said that local government is the grassroots level that directly manages culture. After the merger, the role of local government is further enhanced. Because administrative merger is not simply to reduce intermediary steps, but also to create an intercultural foundation at all levels.
According to Mr. Giang, when there is inter-commune unity, there will be inter-culture. Therefore, cultural management must be closely linked to inter-cultural development in localities. Aiming to build a community culture is not only a process of diversifying forms of cultural organization, but also finding connections between local identity factors. After the merger, local authorities will not only stop at the grassroots level of cultural management, but will be given more privileges to develop culture such as: consulting work, building investment projects and directly supervising investment... Local culture will accordingly be focused on investment, development in the right focus, key points and in accordance with objective reality.
Associate Professor Dr. Bui Hoai Son believes that, more importantly, local authorities must play the role of an inspiration, arousing cultural pride in each citizen. After all, culture is only truly alive when the community participates. If the government listens and creates conditions for people to become the subject of cultural activities, the merger will help culture develop more strongly, on a larger scale, and with a more profound impact.
Mergers help cultural spaces expand and diversify
Dr. Tran Huu Son - Institute of Applied Folk Culture Research said that the merger creates favorable conditions for expanding cultural space, helping to escape the narrowness in a certain scope. However, when the cultural space is expanded, it is necessary to respect diversity and cultural managers need a deep understanding of culture. During the merger process, cultural regions will gradually form. These regions will not only be expanded but also create conditions for linking and developing the regions in a harmonious way.
Source: https://daidoanket.vn/co-hoi-de-van-hoa-vung-mien-dan-quyen-va-phat-trien-10301825.html
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