Dong Nai: Connecting culture in schools

Dr. Nguyen Van Quyet talks about the cultural celebrity Trinh Hoai Duc with students in Bien Hoa city at the Trinh Hoai Duc Tomb Relic, Trung Dung ward, Bien Hoa city. Photo: L.Na

Bringing culture and art, especially traditional music and reformed opera (Cai Luong) into schools and historical sites not only helps students access folk art, but also contributes to preserving unique local cultural values.

Bringing culture and art into schools

In recent times, many schools in the province have coordinated with local art units and cultural and artistic clubs to organize music and dance exchanges, introducing traditional theater, ĐCTT, and cải lương. Notable schools include: Le Van Tam Primary School, Nguyen Du Primary School, Asia Bilingual Primary School (Bien Hoa City); Truong Vinh Ky Primary School (Long Khanh City); Long Tho Secondary School (Nhon Trach District); Tran Phu Secondary School (Thong Nhat District)...

Most recently, on March 16, the Bien Hoa - Dong Nai People's Club, chaired by Associate Professor Dr. Huynh Van Toi, member of the Council of Ho Chi Minh City University of Culture, organized a meeting to exchange traditional folk music and introduce folk songs at the Asia Bilingual Primary, Secondary and High School. During the program, traditional folk music artists in Bien Hoa, Long Thanh, and Long Khanh shared their efforts to preserve and promote the traditional artistic values ​​of the nation.

After more than 45 years of pursuing art, composing nearly 100 vọng cổ and cải lương songs, artist Tram Oanh (residing in Tân Mai ward, Biên Hòa city) said that she is very happy that there are more and more exchange programs, bringing cải lương and cải lương to schools, introducing them to students. In particular, many of the province's recent cải lương and cải lương competitions and performances have attracted a large number of young people, including students. The increasing participation of young people shows that traditional artistic values ​​still have a strong appeal if they are conveyed appropriately and creatively.

In the 2024-2025 school year, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has coordinated with the Department of Education and Training, Dong Nai Literature and Arts Association to organize extracurricular activities on traditional arts and music in schools in the province. In particular, Dong Nai Art Theater, Dong Nai Culture and Arts College have been organizing performances of cai luong excerpts, stage plays, typical music and dance programs with the characteristics of the Southeast region in general, Dong Nai in particular, serving primary and secondary school students.

Monument space - lively cultural classroom

In addition to being held at schools, cultural exchanges are also held at historical sites in the province, creating opportunities for students to approach history and culture in a more intuitive way. A typical example is the exchange between Dr. Nguyen Van Quyet, Chairman of the Vietnam - Japan Friendship Association of Dong Nai province, and students in Bien Hoa city at the Trinh Hoai Duc Tomb Relic.

At the meeting, Dr. Nguyen Van Quyet talked to students about the life, career and great contributions of the famous Trinh Hoai Duc to Vietnamese culture in general and Dong Nai in particular. The relic space became a living history classroom - where students not only acquire knowledge through books, but also have the opportunity to observe, experience and interact directly. This helps them form a sense of respect and preservation of the historical and cultural values ​​of Dong Nai.

Pham Dinh Quoc Bao, a student of class 6/1, Tran Hung Dao Secondary School (Bien Hoa City), shared that this was his second time visiting the Trinh Hoai Duc Tomb. Through the story of Dr. Nguyen Van Quyet, he understood more about the famous Trinh Hoai Duc, a famous mandarin of the Nguyen Dynasty, a great cultural figure, who left behind many valuable works, the most prominent of which is Gia Dinh Thanh Thong Chi.

“The talk was the motivation for me to participate in the Video Clip Contest on Learning about Cultural Celebrity Trinh Hoai Duc organized by the City Youth Union and the City Department of Education and Training. I hope that through the video clip I made, I will spread the beautiful story about the celebrity as well as the spirit of studiousness and constant innovation - like the values ​​that our predecessor Trinh Hoai Duc left behind,” said Quoc Bao.

Cultural connections in schools in Dong Nai not only help students gain more knowledge, but also contribute to preserving and promoting the cultural values ​​of Bien Hoa - Dong Nai. Through these activities, the younger generation has direct contact with traditional arts, understands more about the nation's origins, thereby forming a sense of responsibility in preserving and promoting the nation's cultural values.

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/dong-nai-ket-noi-van-hoa-trong-hoc-duong-20250325100103306.htm