Debate Rages Over Vietnam’s Multi-Billion Dollar Cultural Revamp

via Vietnam News, 02 November 2023: Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has proposed a VNĐ350 trillion ($14.2 billion) investment for a national cultural development program, sparking debate among various agencies. Concerns center around the program’s financial foundation, effectiveness, and the practical use of cultural sites, despite the ministry’s emphasis on the importance of preserving heritage and promoting Vietnamese culture domestically and internationally.

Although the Institute of Cultural Research (under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences) affirmed that infrastructure investment is necessary, it believed that the programme of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism focuses too much on spending for building and renovating cultural sites, which are not coupled with how to develop corresponding cultural activities.

According to the institute, modern cultural sites such as cultural houses, cultural centres, and libraries in rural areas have received huge investment from other development plans such as the new-styled rural area programme but have not been used properly and attract public engagement.

Museums, libraries, and theatres also struggle to attract an audience in spite of huge investment, the institute said.

Source: Agencies question $14.2b package for national cultural development programme