Doctor, poet NGUYEN VAN DUNG, Chairman of the Literature and Arts Association of Quang Tri province, answered the interview
- Sir! It can be affirmed that, accompanying the long history and following the literary and artistic flow of the whole country, Quang Tri literature and art (VHNT) has marked milestones contributing to creating the appearance of a land of Mai Son Han River, a sacred land of talented people. Could you please summarize the positive contributions of the Literature and Arts Association and the team of Quang Tri artists (VNS) to the development of Quang Tri homeland since the re-establishment of the province (July 1989) until now?
- After the province was re-established in 1989, the Provincial Literature and Arts Association was established under Decision No. 708/QD-UB dated November 18, 1992 of the People's Committee of Quang Tri province. As a political - social - professional organization, the association became a "common home" of voluntary creative workers in literature and arts for the goal of a rich people, a strong country, democracy, equality, civilization; for an advanced culture imbued with national identity. The Literature and Arts Association always sets the task of gathering a team of Vietnamese artists to accept the noble mission of serving the Fatherland, serving the People and serving the revolution under the glorious flag of the Party.
On the other hand, regularly organizes activities of composition, performance, exhibition, collection and research of literature and art along with training and capacity building in specialized fields for members. The Association focuses on supporting in-depth investment to stimulate the creative potential of active VNS. Always encourage the movement in both breadth and depth through field trips, creative camps and constantly search for and discover new composers and promising young writers to join the Association.
Opening of the Literature and Arts Creation Camp jointly organized by the Center for Supporting Literature and Arts Creation and the Quang Tri Province Literature and Arts Association in Vung Tau City, September 2023 - Photo: D.T
It is worth noting that a vivid proof of the province's literary and artistic face is the establishment of Cua Viet Magazine under the provincial Literature and Arts Association. Cua Viet Magazine has become the official forum of VNS Quang Tri, a place to nurture many creative talents of the homeland. The magazine also undertakes the function of collecting, researching, and introducing the cultural identity of Quang Tri to readers nationwide and internationally.
The VNS Quang Tri team is growing stronger and more mature. From less than a dozen members during the anti-French period, it now has 252 members, including 82 members from central specialties. Names that were famous nationwide and known to international friends in the past such as poet Che Lan Vien, People's Artist Chau Loan, musician Tran Hoan, Meritorious Artist Tan Nhan... now appear with many very talented names that are loved by the whole country.
In particular, the members of the Quang Tri Literature and Arts Association through the periods have been honored with the late writer Xuan Duc who was awarded the Ho Chi Minh Prize by the President and 4 members who were awarded the State Prize for Literature and Arts: writer Hoang Phu Ngoc Tuong; poet Le Thi May; photographer Si So and painter Trinh Hoang Tan. The Association also had 2 members who were awarded the noble title of People's Artist by the State: Xuan Dam and Kim Quy and 9 Meritorious Artists, 8 Meritorious Artisans.
In addition, the Literature and Arts Association also has outstanding Vietnamese artists with great contributions such as musician Le Anh, late sculptor Ho Uong, late musician Le Quang Nghe, late Meritorious Artisan Ai Chung, late Meritorious Artist Sy Cu, late writer Cao Hanh...
The achievements of the Quang Tri Literature and Arts Association in recent years have been recognized and highly appreciated by the Party, the State and the leaders of Quang Tri province, awarded the Third Class Labor Medal; the excellent emulation flag of the Government; and many certificates of merit from the Vietnam Union of Literature and Arts Associations and the People's Committee of Quang Tri province...
- To actively contribute to the development of the country's literature and arts and Quang Tri homeland, could you please tell us about the outstanding achievements of the Quang Tri Literature and Arts Association in recent times, especially from 2015 to present?
- It can be affirmed that the results of the activities of the Quang Tri Literature and Arts Association in recent times, especially from 2015 to present, have been very effective. The most outstanding result is the continuous organization of creative camps and organizing creative competitions, promoting literary and artistic works. On average, the Literature and Arts Association organizes 4-5 creative camps at the grassroots level every year.
The creative camps are all associated with political events, anniversaries, important movements of the country, homeland and localities, agencies, and units in the province. Along with creative activities, the Literature and Arts Association also cooperates with the grassroots in promoting and announcing works in the form of releasing music CDs, publishing books, organizing exhibitions of art photos, fine art paintings, architecture, building art programs with selected works through creative camps... to serve the public.
Another outstanding activity is that from 2015 to present, the Quang Tri Literature and Arts Association has advised and proposed to the provincial leaders to allow the organization of many creative competitions, promoting literary and artistic works with many important topics and events. The competitions are all carefully organized, attracting a large number of Vietnamese writers and non-professional authors in the province and the whole country to participate with thousands of works of quality in terms of ideological content and artistic value, serving the general public and serving the socio-economic development of the homeland and the country.
Studying and following Uncle Ho's ideology, morality and style is a big, important and comprehensive topic, not only for VNS Quang Tri but also for all levels, sectors, localities and social strata. Since the central government's policy, the Quang Tri Literature and Arts Association has proactively advised, proposed and the Quang Tri Provincial Party Committee agreed to organize competitions in the period before 2015 with very high results, the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee has awarded dozens of prizes to outstanding works.
From 2015 to present, the Provincial Literature and Arts Association has proactively proposed and been assigned by the provincial leaders to organize three competitions on this topic. After three times organizing the competition to create and promote literary and artistic works on the topic "Studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style", the Organizing Committee has received 312 works from 145 authors and co-authors.
The Organizing Committee awarded prizes to 94 authors with excellent works, of which 14 authors won the A prize. The Provincial Literature and Arts Association selected 67 excellent works to report to the Quang Tri Provincial Party Committee's Preliminary Committee for consideration and submission to the Central Final Committee. The Central Competition Steering Committee considered awarding prizes in 4 rounds (2015, 2018 and 2020, 2023). Quang Tri is a province with high achievements compared to the provinces of the North Central and Central Highlands with 7 B prizes, 11 C prizes and 6 Encouragement prizes. Currently, the Provincial Literature and Arts Association is actively implementing this important theme competition in the period of 2023 - 2025.
The contest for composing literary and artistic works on the theme “Comrade General Secretary Le Duan with the Vietnamese revolution and Quang Tri homeland” directed by the Standing Committee of the Quang Tri Provincial Party Committee, on the occasion of the 110th anniversary of General Secretary Le Duan’s birthday on April 7 (1907 - 2017) attracted a large number of Vietnamese students and people in the area to participate. The Organizing Committee received 60 works, selected and awarded prizes to 28 excellent works, including 6 A prizes, 8 C prizes and 10 Encouragement prizes.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Quang Tri province, the Provincial Literature and Arts Association proposed and advised the Provincial People's Committee to organize a contest to compose literary and artistic works with the theme "Quang Tri - 50 years of construction, innovation and development". The contest attracted a large number of authors inside and outside the province to participate with 239 works.
The Organizing Committee awarded 29 prizes for outstanding works (5 A prizes, 10 B prizes, 14 C prizes). The songwriting contest "Quang Tri - Faith and Aspiration" 2023 attracted 106 musicians nationwide to submit 142 entries. The Organizing Committee awarded 17 prizes (1 First prize, 2 Second prizes, 4 Third prizes, 10 Encouragement prizes).
In order to create mechanisms and policies to encourage and motivate VNS to create high-quality works, the Provincial People's Committee has issued regulations for the Che Lan Vien Literature and Arts Award, Quang Tri Province (every 5 years). Through two award ceremonies (2015 and 2020), the Provincial People's Committee has awarded 60 awards to outstanding works. Every year, the Provincial Literature and Arts Association submits to the Provincial People's Committee for recognition an average of 20 - 27 outstanding literature and arts works. The works that win high prizes are selected by the association and sent to the Vietnam Union of Literature and Arts Associations and central specialties for consideration and awarding dozens of awards annually.
In addition, the Provincial Literature and Arts Association has directed Cua Viet Magazine to organize many poetry, short story and memoir writing competitions on various topics. In particular, the memoir and short story writing competition on the topic "Quang Tri Land and People" on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the province's re-establishment on July 1 (1989 - 2019) and the 300th anniversary of Cua Viet Magazine, attracted 256 works by 109 authors from Quang Tri and all over the country. The Organizing Committee considered and awarded prizes to 22 authors with outstanding works, including 2 First prizes, 4 Second prizes, 6 Third prizes and 10 Encouragement prizes...
- In the coming years, with a wealth of experience and a spirit of innovation and creativity, what solutions will the Quang Tri Literature and Arts Association implement to continue to accompany and promote the innovation of Quang Tri homeland, making positive contributions to the country's literature and arts career, sir?
- First of all, the Quang Tri Literature and Arts Association continues to promote political and ideological education and propaganda, thoroughly imbuing members with the Party's viewpoint on literature and arts in the new situation. Strengthening training to improve political capacity, creativity, and professional ethics for Vietnamese artists.
Encourage and motivate members to create works of high ideological, moral and artistic value, imbued with the values of truth - goodness - beauty; works with depth, orientation, prediction and vivid reflection of life, meeting the needs of enjoying rich spiritual culture of all classes of people in the province and contributing to the country's cultural and artistic cause.
The VNS team needs to be active, proactive, sensitive, creative, and effectively organize activities to create and promote literary and artistic works; actively participate in creating valuable works praising our country, homeland, and heroic people; create many quality works containing content and art that promote the spirit of innovation, integration, and socio-economic development; and firmly protect the Fatherland.
Pay special attention to exploiting the theme of "Studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style"; carry out political tasks, achievements in socio-economic development, ensuring national defense and security; the theme of Quang Tri land and people; actively participate in the task of protecting the Party's ideological foundation, fighting against erroneous and hostile views. Focus on preserving high-level culture and art; pay more attention to the field of critical theory; literature and art of ethnic minorities and folk literature...
In order for the Arts and Literature Association to develop strongly in both quantity and quality of creations, and to have many works that can live in the hearts of readers, it requires VNS Quang Tri to make greater efforts, greater determination and more enthusiasm. The Standing Committee of the Association draws on experience to create a clear and open creative space for members to have conditions and opportunities to create in accordance with the strengths and creative abilities of VNS.
Not only does it coordinate with localities, agencies, departments and branches in the province to organize creative camps with important topics at appropriate times, but it also continuously organizes literary and artistic creative competitions with different topics.
At the same time, the association organizes professional exchanges with provincial and municipal literary and artistic associations to learn from each other, improve qualifications and skills; organizes field trips to facilities in and outside the province to obtain necessary information and documents for research and creation. Proactively proposes and organizes for members to attend creative camps, training courses, and professional development organized by central agencies...
Propose to provincial leaders to pay attention to directing and having timely and effective policies for the development of culture and arts in all aspects, in the spirit of Resolution No. 33-NQ/TW dated June 9, 2014 of the Central Executive Committee (11th tenure) on "Continuing to build and develop Vietnamese culture and people to meet the requirements of sustainable national development"; Resolution No. 23-NQ/TW dated June 16, 2008 of the Politburo (10th tenure) on "Continuing to build and develop literature and arts in the new situation" and the policies concluded at the National Cultural Conference held on November 21, 2021.
Focus on developing and soon implementing the Regulations on expenditures to support the creation of literary and artistic works and literary and artistic projects in the period of 2021-2025. Both maintaining and organizing activities of a movement nature to attract a large number of members to participate in creating literary and artistic works to serve important events of the homeland and the country, and investing in depth with focus on a number of Vietnamese artists who are capable of creating works of great stature with high ideological content and artistic value to serve the cause of development and innovation of the homeland and the country. In particular, paying more attention to the development of the fields of art and literary and artistic theory and criticism is currently limited.
Focus on consolidating and developing Cua Viet Magazine in terms of both staff organization and content quality, artistic values with clear identity of Quang Tri land, having an increasingly solid position in the hearts of readers, being loved and welcomed by the public.
Thank you!
Dan Tam (performed)
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