Throughout his life, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong was keen on culture and emphasized its significance for the growth of the nation.
He said: "Culture is the soul of the nation and expresses the nation's identity", "As long as culture exists, the nation exists", and "Culture must be put on an equal footing with politics, economics, and society".

The General Secretary was also concerned about the work of building culture and improving the lives of writers and artists so that the cultural sector "will have new changes and progress, become stronger and more effective, and mark a milestone on the road to revitalizing and developing Vietnamese culture in the new era," as he said in his speech at the National Culture Conference 2021.

'Culture is the foundation of society'

Recently, the cultural sector has a new manual for the development of Vietnamese culture and people. This is the book Building and Developing an Advanced Vietnamese Culture imbued with National Identity by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung said the book is of great value because it's not only the product of the General Secretary's intelligence and enthusiasm, but more importantly, it's a research that collects the Party leader's ideas, guiding principles, statements, and articles on the role and mission of culture as an endogenous resource for development - the link between culture and the economy, politics and society.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong met writers and artists in 2021. People's Artist Le Ngoc is second from left. Photo: VNA

"The book has much to say about the preservation of traditional and revolutionary cultural values, cultural development in the new era, the central importance of man as a creative subject, and the contingent of writers and artists who play an important role in cultural development in connection with the building of the national value system, cultural value system, family value system and Vietnamese human standards, thus making an important contribution to the development of an advanced Vietnamese culture rich in national identity," said Minister Nguyen Van Hung.

With this handbook, cultural workers are also aware of their responsibility to deeply grasp, transmit, and concretize the General Secretary's guiding thoughts and standpoints so that the core contents of the book can be understood and translated into concrete actions and the spirit of patriotism, self-reliance, solidarity and hope for the development of a prosperous and happy country can be more strongly aroused.

Poet Nguyen Quang Thieu, chairman of the Vietnam Writers' Association, said the book is extremely necessary, highly important, and truly urgent for the nation's survival and development.

"Building and developing an advanced Vietnamese culture rich in national identity is the only way for the Vietnamese people to maintain their independence and freedom, for the Vietnamese people to live with the dream of being a true human being and always act for this wonderful dream so that the country of Vietnam has the right to be proud before all countries," Thieu said.

According to Thieu, the Secretary-General deeply understands the mission of culture for a nation, which is expressed in the saying: "True happiness is not found in wealth, possessions, exquisite food or fashionable attire. It lies in the richness of the soul, in living surrounded by love, compassion, righteousness and justice.".

Give trust and love to artists

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, who is deeply committed to the country's culture, always emphasizes the important role of creators in preserving and promoting the nation's traditional culture and arts.

People's artist Le Ngoc said that the General Secretary always cares about the lives of writers and artists and always believes in and loves them.

Stage artist Le Ngoc still has vivid memories of attending the National Conference on Culture in 2021, where she had an intimate meeting with the General Secretary and discussed with him the ideological instilling, the propagation of morality, and the sacrifices of writers and artists for the country's art scene.

"The General Secretary has repeatedly reaffirmed the importance of culture for the development of the country. We remember this and always take the General Secretary's teachings as a guideline for our artistic activities, serving the people wholeheartedly and carrying out the General Secretary's instructions to be worthy soldiers on the cultural and ideological front," said People's Artist Le Ngoc.

Recently, the documentary film General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong - Steadfast, Intellectual and Exemplary Leader was completed, showing precious footage of the life and glorious career of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong for the revolutionary cause of our Party, State, and nation.

Meritorious Artist Dang Thai Huyen, deputy director of the People's Army Film Studio and co-director of the film, said that making the film was a great honor but also a great pressure for the team. The film crew made every effort to present the most comprehensive and objective portrait of the General Secretary.

"'In his lifetime, the General Secretary affirmed that the Party, the State, and the people have always expected and wished that writers and artists produce more works of higher ideological and artistic quality that reflect the reality of our country in the period of innovation, integration, and development truthfully, profoundly and comprehensively. Every artist must innovate with both courage and vigilance; strive for new qualifications, visions, ways of thinking and expression in artistic creation in accordance with the practical development needs of today's Vietnam," said director Dang Thai Huyen.

The General Secretary's messages are something that every writer and artist, including Huyen, takes to heart and remembers.

"In the coming period, the People's Army Film Studio will carry out many film projects on important holidays of the Party, the State, and the army. We have always remembered the words of the General Secretary to perform the duties of soldier-artists well in the new situation," said Huyen.

People's Artist Quoc Hung said: "I think the General Secretary is well-versed in culture, based on his lectures and writings. His ideas on culture are profound and excellent," he said.

The General Secretary also has a special affection for the country's writers, artists, and intellectuals. Hung still remembers that the General Secretary often attended meetings with them on the occasion of the Lunar New Year.

 "In the warm, sincere, and emotional atmosphere of the meeting, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong spoke intimately like an old father and respectfully thanked the noble, good, and sincere feelings of scientists, intellectuals, writers, and artists for the overall construction and development of the country. We appreciate this intimacy," Hung said.