The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has recently issued a directive addressed to the People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities, emphasizing the need to enhance the management and organization of festivals.
As per official document No. 3811/BVHTTDL-VHCS dated September 12, 2023, the Ministry urges the local authorities to instruct relevant agencies in implementing Government Decree No. 110/2018/ND-CP, dated August 29, 2018, on the management and organization of festivals, along with other related legal documents.
Elephant procession and sacrifice ceremony of Duoc Thuong village (Tien Duoc commune) during the Giong Festival at Soc Temple special national relics (Soc Son district, Hanoi city).
The directive also emphasizes reinforcing the responsibilities of local government officials in managing and organizing festivals at different levels. They are directed to ensure that festivals are conducted with dignity, cost-effectiveness, safety, and efficiency, aligning with the cultural traditions of the ethnic groups and the local customs and practices, avoiding extravagance, superficiality, and wastefulness.
Furthermore, the Ministry suggests that the People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities guide relevant agencies in reviewing festival organization plans. They should adjust the frequency and scale to suit the practical situation of each locality, and proactively develop plans, scenarios, and conditions to ensure the festivals take place safely. This includes maintaining social order, preventing fires and explosions, ensuring transportation safety, water safety, combating social vices, and ensuring food safety and environmental hygiene.
For specific festivals like the Huong Pagoda Festival and Den Soc Festival in Hanoi, Tran Temple Festival in Nam Dinh, Con Son – Kiep Bac Festival in Hai Duong, Yen Tu Festival in Quang Ninh, Via Ba Festival in Tay Ninh, Via Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam Festival in An Giang, Phet Hien Quan Festival in Phu Tho, Buffalo Fighting Festival, and Duc But Festival in Vinh Phuc, it is essential to develop plans, scenarios, and arrangements for the 2024 festivals, ensuring social order, civility, and effectiveness.
The Huong Pagoda Festival at the Huong Son Historical Relics and Scenic Complex (Huong Pagoda, My Duc District, Hanoi City) is one of the largest and longest-lasting festivals in our country.
The Huong Pagoda Festival, situated in the historical site and scenic area of Huong Son (Huong Pagoda) in My Duc district, Hanoi, stands as one of the largest and most enduring festivals in our country.
Additionally, the authorities of provinces and cities have directed relevant agencies to guide the implementation of the “Criteria for the Cultural Environment in Traditional Festivals,” as per Decision No. 2068/QD-BVHTTDL dated August 3, 2023, issued by the Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. Strict procedures for receiving registration documents and notifying the organization of festivals within their jurisdictions are meticulously organized and managed.
Alongside this, there is a concerted effort to propagate and mobilize the elevation of awareness and responsibility at all levels, across sectors, involving citizens, and earnestly enforcing the state regulations regarding festival organization. This encompasses understanding the origin of the festival, historical sites, and revered figures, and honoring the true values and meanings behind traditional beliefs and rituals. Measures are taken to curb the burning of votive offerings and paper money, ensuring safety, promoting environmental protection, and fostering responsible resource use.
To comprehensively assess the festival activities, there is an initiative to carry out digitization and synthesis of local festival activities, proposing solutions within the framework of state management of festival events. The directive emphasizes the augmentation of inspection, examination, and supervision activities before, during, and after the festivals. Timely prevention and stringent handling of violations during festival operations are highlighted, especially those exploiting historical sites, festivals, and religious beliefs for personal gain, engaging in superstitious and gambling activities, or organizing widespread festivals that lead to unnecessary expenses and wastefulness, as underscored in the communication from the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, as highlighted by Deputy Minister Trinh Thi Thuy.
Trung Kien
Tăng cường công tác quản lý và tổ chức lễ hội (nguoihanoi.vn)