Awakening cultural resources from community

ĐBP - Implementing Resolution No.80-NQ/TW dated January 7, 2026, of the Politburo on the development of Vietnamese culture, the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism is deploying a synchronized range of solutions, from public dissemination and the completion of grassroots cultural institutions to cadre training and guiding residents to preserve and promote traditional cultural values.

The set objective is to transform the distinctive cultural values of ethnic groups into resources for socioeconomic development, elevating both the material and spiritual lives of the people.

Điện Biên possesses a diverse and rich cultural life encompassing 19 ethnic groups, with each community holding distinct values handed down through generations. From housing architecture, costumes, and traditional crafts to festivals, scripts, and products created throughout daily labor and production, these values forge the distinctive cultural identity of the Northwestern region.

However, amidst the profound shifts of modern life, preserving and promoting traditional cultural values presents new imperatives. Culture must be preserved in real-life practice, passed down to younger generations, and progressively turned into resources serving socioeconomic development - particularly for community-based tourism and sustainable livelihood generation.

According to Nguyễn Thị Thanh Chuyên, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, to execute Resolution No.80-NQ/TW, the sector first emphasizes public dissemination, assisting all levels, sectors, and citizens - particularly ethnic minorities - to thoroughly grasp the resolution’s content and spirit. The primary focus is raising awareness regarding traditional cultural values and communal responsibility in preservation. Localities are guided to clearly identify their distinctive cultural assets, thereby selecting representative values to preserve and promote in accordance with practical conditions. This is viewed as an important foundation for embedding culture more deeply into daily life while opening up avenues to harness cultural values linked with local tourism and economic growth.

White Thái people in Mường Lay preserving their traditional khẩu xén cake-making craft.

Concurrently, the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism focuses on reviewing and studying policies and legal normative documents related to cultural development in ethnic minority areas, clarifying key targets and focal tasks to advise on practical execution. A major priority is constructing and perfecting the grassroots cultural institution network. These serve as venues for community gatherings, cultural performances, arts, and sports, while functioning as hubs for storing, transmitting, and promoting local cultural heritage.

Across the province, 1,250 mass art performance troupes maintain operations; 932 cultural houses and community gathering points are active; and 100% (45 out of 45) of communes and wards have cultural and sports facilities. The province currently has 7 stadiums, 144 soccer pitches, 4 athletics fields, 225 pickleball courts, 138 training halls (including 33 multi-purpose training halls), 34 swimming pools, 100 basketball courts, 466 volleyball courts, 838 badminton and shuttlecock courts, and over 300 other sports grounds.

A long-term solution identified by the culture sector is training and fostering grassroots cadres and local residents. For the 2026-2030 period with orientations toward 2035, training programs are being rolled out across multiple fields, including heritage value preservation and promotion, tourism development, grassroots communications, and community cultural guidance.

A prime illustration of this orientation is the model for reviving and expanding the traditional khẩu xén cake craft of the White Thái people in Mường Lay ward. Under the guidance of Hoa Ban Trắng Cooperative, a culinary heritage once made solely for holidays and Tết has been preserved, taught through centralized training, and elevated into a standardized OCOP product.

Lò Chúc Chi, Director of Hoa Ban Trắng Cooperative, shared that the khẩu xén craft was previously household-based and primarily intended for family consumption during Tết. Joining the cooperative enabled women to receive formal training on food hygiene and safety standards, packaging, and product marketing. Transforming khẩu xén into an OCOP product tied to experiential tourism allows visitors to Mường Lay to make cakes by hand and savor authentic local cuisine.

A notable feature in the department’s approach to implementing Resolution 80 is the shift in administrative mindset. Nguyễn Thị Thanh Chuyên added that the department is progressively modernizing its mindset in cultural state management, moving from a rigid regulatory approach to cultural governance. Alongside inspection, supervision, and regulation, the sector emphasizes providing concrete guidance for local authorities and residents to organize and promote cultural activities. This builds grassroots proactivity, contributing to the effective realization of Resolution 80’s goals and embedding cultural values as a practical part of community life.

Through the synchronized implementation of these solutions, the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism expects Resolution 80 to take deep root, generating noticeable shifts across ethnic minority cultural life. Culture will steadily become an endogenous resource, generating livelihoods, enriching spiritual welfare, and inspiring local pride and self-reliance. That foundation will enable Resolution 80 to translate into reality, making culture a pivotal driver for sustainable development in Điện Biên.

Diệp Chi
Comment

You have 500/500 characters left

Please enter 5 or more characters!!!

Recent news

  • 'Keeping heritage alive, putting Điện Biên on tourism map

    Keeping heritage alive, putting Điện Biên on tourism map

    TRAVEL -
    ĐBP - In today’s era of integration and development, preserving and promoting cultural heritage must go beyond simply safeguarding the past. Cultural traditions must be transformed into distinctive tourism experiences and recognized as invaluable resources for building a sustainable tourism brand that attracts visitors from Vietnam and abroad.
  • 'Building trust through safer, better school meals

    Building trust through safer, better school meals

    SOCIAL AFFAIRS -
    ĐBP - School meals play an important role in nurturing students, supporting their health and promoting their all-round development. Ensuring the safety and quality of these meals is therefore a priority for schools across Điện Biên province, helping protect students’ health and providing a solid foundation for their learning.
  • 'Standardizing student data in digital environments

    Standardizing student data in digital environments

    SOCIAL AFFAIRS -
    ĐBP - To manage education effectively on digital platforms, it is essential, first and foremost, to possess accurate, complete, and consistent data. In Điện Biên, educational institutions are focusing on reviewing, updating, and synchronizing student information on the sector’s database system.
  • 'Tightening food safety controls

    Tightening food safety controls

    SOCIAL AFFAIRS -
    ĐBP - Food quality is determined from the selection of ingredients and processing to product origin verification. In Điện Biên, production facilities, business establishments, and cooperatives are progressively tightening procedures and heightening responsibility across every phase of production and goods distribution.
  • 'Beyond classrooms: Teaching students to stay safe from fires

    Beyond classrooms: Teaching students to stay safe from fires

    SOCIAL AFFAIRS -
    ĐBP - With potential fire and explosion hazards posing risks at educational institutions, authorities across Điện Biên province are stepping up fire prevention and firefighting efforts through a range of practical activities. By combining awareness campaigns with hands-on demonstrations and skills training, officials, teachers and students are gradually improving their understanding of fire safety and their ability to respond to emergencies, helping create a safer school environment.
  • 'Spreading joy, connecting love

    Spreading joy, connecting love

    SOCIAL AFFAIRS -
    ĐBP - Amid busy work schedules, activities celebrating the Vietnamese Women’s Day on October 20 offer an occasion for women to set aside daily worries, gather, interact, and share life experiences. Each activity carries its own unique character, yet all deliver joy, helping women build confidence and deeply appreciate solidarity and affection in life.
  • 'Điện Biên’s National Assembly deputies contribute opinions to refine laws in healthcare and social welfare

    Điện Biên’s National Assembly deputies contribute opinions to refine laws in healthcare and social welfare

    NEWS - POLITICS -
    ĐBP - On October 21, during the group discussion within the framework of the 2nd Session of the 16th National Assembly, deputies of the Điện Biên provincial National Assembly Deputy Delegation contributed opinions to the draft laws amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on Children, the Law on Persons with Disabilities, the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment, the Law on Pharmacy, the Law on the Elderly, and the Law on Health Insurance.
  • 'Giving residents a voice, turning concerns into action

    Giving residents a voice, turning concerns into action

    NEWS - POLITICS -
    ĐBP - Direct dialogue with residents is a practical way for local authorities to listen to their concerns and aspirations, identify emerging issues in a timely manner, and address problems arising in everyday life. In Mường Pồn commune, dialogue has enabled authorities to hear and consider numerous requests concerning infrastructure, social welfare and agricultural production, assign specific follow-up responsibilities, and strengthen government accountability, public participation and consensus among residents.
  • 'Connecting trade, expanding markets

    Connecting trade, expanding markets

    ECONOMY -
    ĐBP - Under the theme “Điện Biên - A Trade Bridge, Reaching Out to the World,” the 2026 Điện Biên International Trade Fair unlocks opportunities for domestic and international enterprises to connect, promote products, seek business partners, and expand consumer markets.
  • 'People's high consensus clears way for expressway project

    People's high consensus clears way for expressway project

    ECONOMY -
    ĐBP - These days, in Lịch Cang village, Mường Lạn commune, machinery and labor forces are mobilized to level ground, preparing to build a resettlement area serving households affected during the implementation of the Sơn La - Điện Biên - Tây Trang Border Gate Expressway project (Phase 1).
  • 'Điện Biên approves investments totaling VND 7,500 billion

    Điện Biên approves investments totaling VND 7,500 billion

    ECONOMY -
    ĐBP - Marking a fresh stride in regional economic connectivity and cooperation, the 2026 International Investment Promotion Conference between Điện Biên province (Vietnam), Luang Prabang province (Laos), and Yunnan province (China) - held on the morning of October 19 at the Event Center of Mường Thanh Grand Điện Biên Phủ Hotel (Điện Biên Phủ ward), Điện Biên province - opened up opportunities for cooperation and accelerated the harnessing of each locality’s potentials and strengths. At the conference, Điện Biên province presented 20 Investor Approval Decisions with a total investment capital of approximately VND 7,500 billion.