Culture is not just flags, lights, trumpets, and drums.

Travel around to learn about positive cultural changes

Immediately after the 2021 National Cultural Conference, journalist Bui Thoa - Communist Party of Vietnam Electronic Newspaper was assigned by the Editorial Board to directly implement many topics and programs on culture such as: Cultural industry; cultural heritage; behavioral culture, office culture; building a national value system, cultural value system, family value system and human standards of the new era; cultural revival... in the spirit of the 13th National Party Congress Resolution and the direction of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at the 2021 National Cultural Conference.

To develop these topics, journalist Bui Thoa and his colleagues traveled to many provinces and cities: Dien Bien, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Bac Ninh, Quang Ninh, Ho Chi Minh City... to learn about the positive changes in culture since the Resolution of the 13th National Congress was promulgated.

“Not only do I often go to local bases, I also often go to museums or heritage sites that are calling for help, festivals or historical sites, sometimes theaters with diverse performances or coffee shops and lively chats with artists and cultural experts... Many times when my children see me like that, they ask me what I do when I only see them going out to play?” – Ms. Bui Thoa shared.

It is true that if you do not understand anything about culture, you will see that culture is just “flags, lights, trumpets, drums…”, dancing, singing… people who work in culture get to go out and have fun, but in fact, working in culture is very difficult and hard, no less than other fields.

Journalist Bui Thoa said: “The performances and big programs often take place on holidays or in the evenings. We work all day, all week, and then have to work hard at night, or on Saturdays and Sundays, we have to continue working at events. Sometimes we have to work through the night, and it is normal to not have a day off.”

Journalist Bui Thoa (2nd from left) and the group of authors.

Choosing to write about the cultural field is very difficult and sensitive. If the reporter is not "smart", "sensitive" and has a certain absorption, it is very easy to make mistakes and go astray. Therefore, in order for the article to accurately reflect the policies of the Party and the State, and at the same time convey the necessary messages, Ms. Thoa and her colleagues had to read and research the Party's guiding documents on the cultural field very carefully. Many times, they had to read and re-read many times before they could come up with an idea.

“We chose this topic not only because it is a major policy throughout the Congresses and was especially emphasized at the 13th National Party Congress, but also because we determined that cultural revival is the source and root of all development. This is one of the most important tasks to build a spiritual foundation, endogenous strength; create an important driving force for national development as set out by the 13th National Party Congress” – journalist Bui Thoa shared.

Permeates life like "daily food and drink"

The series of 5 articles deals with the issue of cultural revival, which is a major and consistent policy of the Party, not only through the Congresses but also throughout the process of building, developing and defending the Fatherland. Because of implementing a major topic, reflecting a major policy of the Party and the State, journalist Bui Thoa and his colleagues had to prepare very carefully.

The group of authors had to divide members into collecting documents; interviewing experts, managers; preparing photo materials, making photos... "After having the basic materials, we started to implement each article with clear ideas and messages. During the process of working, the biggest challenge and obstacle for us was probably interviewing leaders of sectors, units... and researching documents and instructions of the Party in this field."

During the process of making the work, journalist Bui Thoa was especially impressed when interviewing leaders of relevant agencies and units, listening to their explanations, she was enlightened and realized many things that could not be understood clearly if only reading and researching documents.

“Through conversations and interviews with experts and managers, I not only have more material for my articles, but I also accumulate a lot of knowledge and experience as provisions for my own work and life,” journalist Bui Thoa expressed.

For example, experts' opinions on the issue of "cultural revival" are very different. Some people think that it should be used, while others think that this concept should not be used to talk about current culture... because it can easily cause misunderstanding that current culture is at rock bottom, while in reality, culture in the new era is still developing...

Faced with such different viewpoints, journalist Bui Thoa and his colleagues must have a clear filter. Cultural revival simply means making culture more developed. If culture has developed now, then in the future it will be made to develop further as the goal set by the 13th National Party Congress.

Cultural revival to increase soft power, endogenous power to arouse the aspiration to develop a prosperous and happy country.

Preparing the content for the article was elaborate, but choosing and designing the images for the article to be correct, "on point" with the content, clearly illustrating the ideas of the article was also of great concern to journalist Bui Thoa. She and her colleagues spent a lot of time and effort, no less than creating the content.

“Many days, Thanh Thao and I – the main designer for the series – discussed and sent back and forth photo designs until one or two in the morning. Although young, Thanh Thao is a very responsible person and quite meticulous in her work, especially having many creative ideas when designing photos that I did not expect when working with her,” Ms. Thoa shared.

To revive culture is not just about beautiful ideas on paper, empty slogans or stories of the movement... but about specific, practical, meaningful, effective actions that permeate life like "daily food and water" is the important message that the series of articles wants to affirm and convey to readers.

Besides, in the series of 5 articles, the work "Cultural Revival Stories" also presents many viewpoints and solutions on cultural development and revival so that culture can truly become a "spiritual foundation", "development driving force" and "light the way for the nation to go".

Hoang Anh

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/van-hoa-khong-chi-la-co-den-ken-trong-post299597.html