Introducing the book "Cultural Transformation and Integration in Vietnam"

Culture, exchange, contact, integration, cultural transformation… are global issues today. For Vietnam, since the implementation of the Doi Moi (Renovation) policy, culture and issues related to its preservation and development have become central themes, attracting the attention and research of the entire society and scientists. However, from a research perspective, there is still a lack of systematic, in-depth, and fundamental studies on each aspect of cultural transformation, the process of transformation, and cultural integration.

Recognizing the crucial role of culture, the Party and State have implemented numerous policies and mechanisms to promote the cultural integration of our country in the context of industrialization, modernization, and international integration. Vietnam is increasingly becoming a close and responsible member of the global community, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. Integration with the world is an objective trend and requirement of development.

However, reality also shows that managing culture and preserving national cultural values ​​and identity is a challenging issue. Traditional cultural values ​​today also face many challenges from the negative impacts of the market economy and the trends of regionalization and globalization. These difficulties and challenges require leaders and those involved in managing, researching, preserving, and developing culture to collectively think and devise appropriate policies and solutions. More than ever, preserving and promoting cultural values ​​is considered an essential task linked to the requirements and goals of sustainable national development. The cause of industrialization, modernization, and the struggle to protect national sovereignty are always intertwined with protecting security, preserving cultural identity, and building Vietnamese people who are rich in reason and emotion, deeply imbued with humanism and patriotism.

The issues raised above are the fundamental goals and most urgent tasks currently being addressed in studying the impact of cultural transformation and integration on Vietnam's development. Meanwhile, the demand and level of cultural appreciation among Vietnamese society are increasing, but the ability to enjoy culture among different segments of society remains a major challenge for those involved in cultural management. In the context of an information society, integration, and globalization, setting development directions, meeting the capacity and needs for cultural enjoyment, conducting research, and learning from the experiences of several countries in the region and the world are always urgent requirements for developing correct understanding and appropriate cultural management and development policies.

Cover of the book "Cultural Transformation and Integration in Vietnam" edited by Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Kim (Vietnam National University, Hanoi Publishing House, 2016, 535 pages)

The research project "Cultural Transformation and Integration in Vietnam" focuses on and contributes to clarifying the following main contents: Firstly, clarifying theoretical issues regarding cultural transformation and integration; secondly, analyzing the historical transitions, foundations, methods of response, and processes of cultural transformation and integration in Vietnamese history; thirdly, assessing the current state of cultural transformation and integration on socio-economic development and the building of Vietnamese character; and fourthly, proposing directions, solutions, and recommendations to promote the positive aspects and limit the negative impacts of cultural transformation and integration on the sustainable development of the country.

These can be summarized into the following major recommendations:

• VCulture is part of the overall strategy for building and developing Vietnamese culture and people.

The development experiences of countries around the world and of Vietnam show that long-term, sustainable development goals cannot be achieved without genuine attention to culture, education and training, science and technology. Therefore, to achieve development goals, appropriate policies and management mechanisms are needed to ensure harmonious development between the economy and culture, valuing human factors and cultural elements within a holistic system.

The world is undergoing major changes. Culturally, we need to move towards new perspectives, correctly understanding and assessing the development trends, roles, functions, and missions of culture in the process of industrialization and modernization. Culture is moving towards dialogue, exchange, and strengthening national power. With its creative and social regulatory functions, we must strive to leverage the power of culture in political activities, economic exchanges, and international cooperation.

In Vietnam's current development, protecting national cultural interests should be considered an integral part of national interests.state's interest). Protecting national interests in politics, security, and economics must be considered withnational cultural interestsinoverall benefitsof the country. Accordingly, preserving and promoting the national cultural identity and the position of the national culture in the global cultural community must be considered a task of crucial importance.

The close relationship between cultural development and human development has been increasingly recognized in Vietnam's development thinking. To develop, the first step is to build a human resources strategy. People are the center, the driving force, and the decisive factor in the preservation, dissemination, and creation of culture. Cultural development aims at many goals, but the main goal is the perfection of human character.The successful creation of new human models—those who are knowledgeable, creative, emotional, morally upright, and who lead beautiful lives—is the central task of culture..

The core of Vietnam's cultural value system is its people, and the core of Vietnamese human values ​​is cultural character. Therefore, a practical and feasible strategy and solutions are needed to build and promote the character of Vietnamese people in modern society. This must be considered a top priority and a core objective of the Party, the State, and the entire society in the coming period. The orientation for cultural strategy and cultural transformation is to set out the main directions for approaching the long-term goals that Vietnam strives for in its cultural and educational strategy.To train individuals with the competence, qualities, and mindset of global citizens..

• In the context of globalization, cultural transformation and integration are objective laws and will continue to have an impact on Vietnamese social and cultural life.

Over the years, Vietnam has identified a roadmap and implemented fundamental solutions for its cultural development process, which include:Integration leads to transformation, and transformation leads to further integration at a higher level.The process began with a shift in mindset, abandoning isolationism, followed by steps of international exchange and cooperation, and then international integration. Accordingly, economic integration was the first step, followed by cultural integration, and now preparations are underway for political integration based on the development of arguments and feasible solutions to reform the political system, aiming to build a civilized and modern state.Historical experience in cultural transformation shows that integration and development are prerequisites and conditions for genuine innovation, leading to the transformation of cultural models and structures.

• The cultural industry, the cultural market, and the chain of cultural products in the regional and global cultural markets.

In the current development of Vietnam,National culture has become and continues to be an important national resource.The strength and potential of culture need to be promoted and transformed into "soft power" to enhance the nation's standing. From prioritizing and focusing on economic development, people are increasingly recognizing that culture is the fundamental foundation of society, the driving force for sustainable development and the country's welfare goals. Many economists argue that culture does not directly create material products for society, therefore it is a field less related to national development and people's livelihoods. They consider those working in culture and arts to belong to the "superstructure" and not be closely involved in activities that create wealth to sustain society. Culture is a defining factor and an important criterion for measuring the level of development of nations. Culture has the function of consolidating, spreading, and multiplying the strength of a nation.

In response to the new development requirements of the country, the role and mission of culture are increasingly recognized more comprehensively and profoundly. After 6 years of implementing Resolution No. 5 of the 8th Central Committee (1998), the 9th Central Committee Conference of the 11th term (2014) further affirmed:Culture is the spiritual foundation of society., is the goal and driving force for the country's sustainable development.Culture has been clearly defined in its role and placed on par with economics, politics, and society.The goal of harmonious development between economy and culture has been set as an urgent requirement. Thus,Culture has become one of the three main pillars in Vietnam's development.This is a priority in the development of the industrialization period and contributes to the success of the reform process and international integration.

Over the past three decades of reform, the understanding of the relationship between culture and economy has become increasingly refined. The two fields of economy and culture are not only emphasized in their specific functions but also become simultaneous factors promoting the development of education and training, science and technology, the development of cultural industries and cultural services, sports activities, and tourism. Culture has become and continues to be an important resource for socio-economic development. Facing new development demands, in order to move towards building...Knowledge economy(Knowledge-based economy) Vietnam first needs to focus its resources on building...Cultural economy(Cultural economy) with a focus on industryCultural industry(Cultural industry). This is an important preparatory step towards development.Knowledge economyRich in intellectual content and humanistic values. To build and develop culture, Vietnam needs to truly consider culture as a driving force and a factor ensuring sustainable development; it needs to strongly promote the development of culture.Cultural industry, is a field that is closely related toCreative Industries(Creative industry) in modern society.

To develop culture, cultural management agencies have recently created favorable conditions for economic sectors, including domestic and foreign private entities, to implement joint ventures and partnerships to organize cultural activities, innovate technology, and preserve and promote cultural values. The cultural sector needs a more dynamic mechanism to encourage investment in infrastructure, technical equipment, and advanced technology, while also creating favorable conditions for businesses to invest in culture, attract resources, and train talent. Vietnam has been focusing on developing new, advanced, and creative cultural products based on the development of the cultural industry. With the right policies and investments, it is highly likely that in the future, Vietnamese culture will have a broad, deep, and diverse influence, potentially creating phenomena like the "Vietnamese Wave" in some countries in the region.

Those involved in cultural management are moving towards an open-minded approach in order to build aA market for humanistic and modern culture.on the basis of developmenta range of products of the cultural industryIn the process of developing our strengthsCultural marketandCultural industryIt is also necessary to consider building one soon.Commercial civilization(trade) andBusiness cultureThere, business philosophy, professional ethics, honesty, humanistic ideals, and business culture are valued and celebrated. The team of entrepreneurs needs to become...Cultural Entrepreneura large and powerful force in implementation.People-to-people diplomacy strategyand in promoting the socialization of resources and investment capital from businesses and society. Today, people are particularly interested in the cultural characteristics and intellectual content of consumer products. Entrepreneurs can be considered one of the key players.Cultural forcesand it is this cultural force that will createcultural productivityhas significant importance inspiritual lifeof a nation.

In the context of globalization, countries with middle and low levels of economic development often face many difficulties in developing and promoting their cultural heritage. Strategic thinking often involves balancing the protection of national interests in politics, security, and economics with...national cultural interestsand consider it as an integral part ofoverall benefitsof the country. Accordingly,Preserving and promoting national cultural identity within the global cultural community should be considered a priority.strategic tasks includevital significance.

• An advanced culture, rich in cultural identity, and policies to preserve, promote, and publicize Vietnamese culture.

In the era of globalization, the development of each culture is always heavily influenced by the political and cultural life of the world.Foreign cultural strategyVietnamese leaders believe that our country is facing great opportunities in cultural diplomacy. The trend of globalization and international integration is taking place strongly and profoundly throughout the world. In the cultural field, the process of globalization is vibrant with the strong support of mass media and the explosion of creative industries.

Currently, "soft power" is a fundamental factor in enhancing national competitiveness and expanding the influence of some countries in the region and around the world. Therefore, increasing "soft power" is considered a central focus in many countries' development strategies. "Soft power" is also manifested in the attractiveness and influence of a nation's cultural values. With its depth and resilience forged through the vicissitudes of history, the Vietnamese cultural value system should be considered a source of strength and power.convergingandadjustThis can strengthen the national convergence and centripetal forces, and above all, the Vietnamese cultural value system has a powerful function in...leading the development trends of society.

Thanks to innovative thinking, broad relationships, and a constant focus on building an advanced culture, Vietnamese culture has explored new content, experimented with new methods and forms of expression, and enriched its artistic genres and products. The UNESCO recognition of Vietnam's UNESCO-recognized World Heritage sites for culture and nature has elevated Vietnam's potential and cultural value in the global cultural arena, increasing its attractiveness and enriching the diverse tapestry and foundational values ​​of Vietnamese culture, along with the unique contributions and values ​​of Vietnam's natural, human, and cultural heritage.

In Vietnam's current development, culture not only accompanies the overall development of the nation, but in many aspects, culture must play a pioneering role in the country's development. In addition, it is necessary to preserve and promote cultural identity.Continuing to affirm and enrich the knowledge base and creative thinking of the national culture.In the process of industrialization and modernization, the challenge is that if Vietnam does not achieve the same level of development as other countries in the region, it will fall behind and lag behind not only in the cultural field.

Today's global culture, especially in highly developed countries, has seen remarkable progress in natural sciences, technology, engineering, and social sciences. In recent times, many countries around the world have been determined to abandon exploitative economies and outdated, low-productivity technologies that cause pollution, in order to transition to advanced science and technology. The four pillars of science and technology are:life sciences,new materials science,energy scienceandmanagement sciencecombined with the extremely strong development ofelectronic and telecommunications science,information technologyAll of these factors created the trigger for its formation.knowledge-based economyandinformation societyof the modern world.

• Management work,Establishing institutions, providing encouragement,promoting career development, creativeculture

Cultural management has always been of great significance and importance to the cultural development of a country. If there are correct, progressive, and scientific cultural management mechanisms, orientations, and policies, it will certainly create momentum for the development of cultural and artistic fields, while simultaneously fostering enthusiasm, passion, and a spirit of voluntary contribution to the development of the nation's culture.

In reality, the understanding of culture, as well as human understanding of other economic and social fields, usually follows a three-stage process: a) Theory reflects practice, but has not yet become reality; b) Theory becomes reality in practical life; and c) Theory remains reality but no longer reflects practice. At that point, new needs emerge, which will be reflected in a new theory. This is the law of inertia in the development of human cognition.

In the current context, along with the formation and development of economic culture, diplomatic culture, communication culture, and business culture, political culture is also considered a genuine science. Therefore, when discussing thecultural managementFurther research is needed to develop it.management cultureThis applies not only to the cultural sector but also to other areas of the country.

Cultural management has been creating many favorable conditions for better fulfilling the task of preserving and promoting national cultural identity, combined with absorbing the best of world culture. The material and spiritual lives of Vietnamese people in many remote mountainous and island regions have begun to improve thanks to the development of the transportation system, national electricity projects, and the rapid spread of technology and mass media. From a different perspective,It is precisely the need for communication and cultural enjoyment in the era of globalization that has made culture a catalyst for the development of many business sectors..

Besides the achievements, the biggest limitation of the development and management of Vietnamese culture in recent times isThere is currently no national-level coordination mechanism for organizing cultural plans and activities.bigand allocate adequate investment resources for the development and promotion of cultural values.Vietnam still lacks a team of highly qualified and professional cultural managers and officials to implement tasks in cultural strategies, especially...Foreign cultural strategyThe lack of predictive research, development-oriented planning, training plans for cultural management personnel and leading experts in various cultural fields, and the creation of an environment and conditions for cultural creativity, along with many other social impacts, have led to a decline in culture, morality, and lifestyle.

Recognizing these limitations, the Party and State have focused on strengthening the organizational structure and issuing legal documents to regulate the activities of the cultural sector, emphasizing the role of cultural institutions, and promoting the role of mass media with new and effective methods of operation. Culture not only has a guiding significance but also serves as a driving force for socio-economic development while contributing to the protection of national sovereignty and security.

The development of culture also needs to value the creative role of individuals and the right to protect the creative values ​​of individuals. Vietnam's cultural policy aims at preserving and promoting traditional values ​​and heritage, forming new creative groups and movements, especially those that develop culture based on national cultural traditions, while simultaneously demonstrating a positive, proactive, and integrated mindset.