One of the notable highlights is the addition of provisions to place culture in its rightful position in the construction and development of the Capital.
The Capital Law supplements regulations to place culture in its rightful position in the construction and development of the Capital. Photo: Sourced
Placing Culture in Its Rightful Position
The Party and the State have always paid special attention to the rapid and sustainable development of Hanoi. Notably, Resolution No. 15-NQ/TW dated May 5, 2022 of the Politburo on “Directions and Tasks for the Development of Hanoi Capital until 2030, with a Vision toward 2045” set the goal of building Hanoi into a city of “Civilization – Culture – Modernity.”
Following that, Resolution No. 30-NQ/TW dated November 23, 2022 of the Politburo on “Socio-economic Development and Ensuring National Defense and Security in the Red River Delta Region until 2030, with a Vision toward 2045” also stated: “To develop the Capital worthy of its thousand-year-old Thang Long – Hanoi civilization, truly becoming the convergence and crystallization center of the nation’s culture.”
Despite the achievements gained in recent years, several criteria for building the image of elegant and civilized Hanoians have not yet met expectations and have not created significant change in the culture of conduct or the urban civilized lifestyle among residents. At the same time, there is still a lack of specific regulations to realize the goal of building the culture of gracious, elegant, humane, and civilized Hanoians who embody the culture, conscience, and dignity of the Vietnamese people. Some heritage values and spiritual cultural traits of Hanoians are gradually fading away.
Therefore, the 2024 Capital Law has been studied and supplemented to identify the distinctive features and characteristics of the Capital’s culture, placing culture in its rightful position in the construction and development of the Capital.
According to the assessment of the Hanoi City Council for the Coordination of Legal Dissemination and Education, the cultural policy provisions in the Capital Law consist of two important groups: the policy group on protection and the policy group on development of the Capital’s cultural values. The protection policy group includes notable regulations such as: permitting the establishment of the Conservation Fund for the Capital’s Historical Inner-City Area; allowing the city to stipulate higher support levels than current regulations for various individuals and entities engaged in cultural and artistic activities, artisans, and practitioners of intangible cultural heritage, among others.
The development policy group introduces special and groundbreaking policies, including provisions on the establishment of commercial and cultural development zones. Notably, the city is permitted to apply the public-private partnership model in the fields of culture and sports at a scale equivalent to projects in healthcare and education.
A More Open Legal Framework
Statistical data show that Hanoi has 5,922 historical and cultural relics. The Capital Law allows the establishment of the Conservation Fund for the Capital’s Historical Inner-City Area. This brings great expectations to the citizens of the Capital regarding the protection and promotion of cultural heritage through the effective mobilization and supplementation of social resources.
It is noteworthy that on April 29, at its 22nd (extraordinary) session, the Hanoi People’s Council unanimously adopted a Resolution promulgating the List of Areas, Relics, Heritage Sites, and Works to be prioritized for resource allocation in order to protect and promote cultural values; as well as the list of distinctive blocks and streets of cultural and historical significance, and architectural works of value to be restored, preserved, and promoted in Hanoi (pursuant to Clauses 3 and 4, Article 21 of the 2024 Capital Law).
According to the Resolution, in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, there are 21 streets classified as Level I protection and preservation zones, such as Cho Gao, Hang Duong, Nguyen Sieu, Dao Duy Tu, and Hang Giay. In addition, 40 streets fall within the Level II protection and preservation zone, including Bat Dan, Bat Su, Cau Go, Cua Dong, and Dong Xuan. In Hanoi’s Old Quarter area, 16 street sections with many villas of special architectural value are also included in the conservation list. The Hanoi People’s Committee expects that funding for the implementation of this Resolution will be derived from tourism revenues generated in these heritage areas, along with state budget allocations, socialization resources, sponsorship funds, and other legitimate sources.
The Hoan Kiem Lake and Hanoi Old Quarter Management Board emphasized that during implementation, the key factor in effectively preserving and promoting the value of the Old Quarter and Old Quarter Area lies in the unity among the government, residents, and social organizations. Only through such joint efforts can Hanoi truly preserve its cultural identity and ensure sustainable development.
Furthermore, Hanoi’s strength in cultural development lies not only in its rich cultural heritage but also in its vast human resources. The 2024 Capital Law opens up many opportunities for universities and colleges to participate in training, research, conservation, and cultural development activities of the Capital, particularly in training and fostering high-quality human resources for the cultural industry. The ultimate goal is to make culture truly a source of strength, an endogenous driving force, and a pillar for the Capital’s development.
Ha Phong