On the morning of 22/12 at the Government Headquarters, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired the National Conference on the Development of Vietnamese Cultural Industries. The conference was organized by the Government Office in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

This can be considered as the “Dien Hong conference” on the development of cultural industries in Vietnam, taking place in the form of face-to-face at the Government headquarters and connected online to the headquarters of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; bridge points at the headquarters of the People’s Committee of 63 provinces and centrally-run cities.

Also attending and managing the conference were Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha; representatives of relevant ministries, departments and branches; leaders of associations, associations and organizations; representative of UNESCO Office in Viet Nam; leaders of organizations, enterprises and agencies operating in the fields related to the cultural industry; and experts and artists working in cultural industries.

Speaking at the opening of the conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated: The National Conference on the Development of Vietnamese Cultural Industries held today is the first conference, which has a particularly important significance on the development of cultural industries in Vietnam.

Vietnamese culture is the result of thousands of years of civilization, creative labor, resilient struggle to build and preserve water of the Vietnamese ethnic community, the result of exchange and absorption of the quintessence of many world cultures to constantly improve themselves and develop. Vietnamese culture has molded the soul, mettle, bravery, heroic, hospitable, loving Vietnamese people, radiating the glorious history of the nation.

The Prime Minister said: “Talking about cultural industries refers to industries that produce products that are artistic and creative, of a tangible or intangible nature; by exploiting cultural values and intellectual, socially and culturally significant products and services to reap economic benefits.

In the world, the development of cultural industry is taking place strongly, is a trend and gradually becomes an important driving force for the economic and social development of countries. Vietnam is assessed to have many potentials and advantages for cultural industry development.

Over the past years, the Party and State have promulgated and effectively implemented many guidelines, guidelines, policies and laws for the development of culture and cultural industry:

– Resolution No. 03-NQ/TW dated 16/7/1998 of the Central Committee defined: “The general direction of our country’s cultural cause is to promote patriotism and the tradition of national unity, the sense of independence and self-reliance to build and defend the socialist Fatherland,  build and develop an advanced Vietnamese culture, imbued with national identity, absorb the quintessence of human culture, make culture penetrate deeply into the whole life and social activities…”.

– Resolution No. 33-NQ/TW dated 9/6/2014 sets out the objectives and requirements: “Building a healthy cultural market, promoting the development of cultural industry, strengthening the promotion of Vietnamese culture”.

– The strategy for the development of cultural industries in Vietnam to 2020 with a vision to 2030 issued by the Government has affirmed the view: “Cultural industries are an important constituent part of the national economy. The State shall create favorable conditions to attract maximum resources from enterprises and society to develop cultural industries.” The strategy identifies 12 sectors of the Cultural Industry; At the same time, set the goal of implementing these areas until 2030.

– The XIIIth Congress of the Party sets out the task: “Urgently implement the focused and key development of the cultural industry and cultural services on the basis of identifying and promoting the soft power of Vietnamese culture”.

– Speaking at the National Cultural Conference in 2021, Comrade General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong stated 6 major tasks, including: “urgently develop cultural industries, build a healthy cultural market”.

The Prime Minister said: With the special attention of the Party and State and the participation of all levels, branches and localities, over the past time, cultural industries have gradually become important service economic sectors; The investment of capital in cultural industries has promoted the cultural industry market to make new strides, contributing positively to socio-economic development.

However, compared to some other industries, our country’s cultural industries have not yet brought into full play their potential and advantages.

The Prime Minister stated that in order for our country’s cultural industry to soon develop quickly and sustainably, effectively exploit potentials and strengths, it is necessary to have a strong change from awareness, thinking to action, renovation of thinking, breakthrough in the way of doing and building Vietnam’s cultural industry “Creativity – Identity – Uniqueness – Professionalism – Competition”,  on the cultural foundation “Nation – Science – Mass” of the Outline of Vietnamese Culture in 1943.

At the Conference, the Prime Minister asked delegates to exchange, discuss and share with a spirit of frankness and responsibility, focusing on some main contents:

First, carefully evaluate and analyze the results achieved, existing and limited in cultural and cultural industry development over the past time (try to clearly state specific supporting data); clearly state the causes, lessons learned. Identify opportunities and challenges of Vietnam’s cultural industry in the coming time. What can we learn from countries that have succeeded in developing cultural industries?

Second, propose specific, feasible and breakthrough solutions, in which:

– Solutions and roadmaps to remove current shortcomings, especially in mechanisms and policies? (on attracting social resources; strengthening linkages and coordination between ministries, branches, localities, between public and private; effective protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights; policies on encouraging and facilitating infrastructure, technology, capital, tax and investment; strongly promoting digital transformation…). Accordingly, it is necessary to synchronously implement solutions on planning, market, science and technology, mobilize the participation of enterprises and banks, and attract resources for public-private cooperation.

– Which products and services need to focus on investment to create efficiency and high spread? How to develop national brands in the fields of cultural industries?

– Solutions to develop human resources for the cultural industry in both quantity and quality?

– Is it necessary to develop a cultural industry development strategy for the new phase with a long-term vision and more synchronous solutions?

At the same time, the Prime Minister asked delegates at the Conference to comment on the proposal of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to promulgate appropriate directive, executive and regulatory documents after the Conference./.