Joining hands to build a new era in An Giang - Part 4: Culture and people are endogenous resources

Artists perform at the amateur music competition in Rach Gia ward. Photo: PHAM HIEU

From identity to soft power

The draft Political Report clearly states: “Build, perfect and effectively implement cultural development policies, so that culture is truly the goal, endogenous resource and driving force for An Giang province to develop harmoniously”. That is not only an orientation but also an urgent requirement in the context of integration and competition.

An Giang is home to the Kinh, Khmer, Cham, and Chinese ethnic groups. Each ethnic group has its own treasure trove of cultural values, from the Ba Chua Xu festival on Sam mountain, the Bay Nui bull racing, to the Oc Eo - Ba The culture. This is not only a spiritual heritage but also an economic asset. If properly exploited, it can strongly develop the cultural and tourism industries.

The draft Political Report emphasizes the preservation and promotion of traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities in association with tourism development, creating livelihoods, contributing to hunger eradication and poverty reduction. Uncle Ho once said: "Culture lights the way for the nation to go". If culture is not preserved and promoted, material development will lose its soul.

In fact, An Giang has been investing in upgrading the system of cultural and sports institutions from the province to the grassroots level; renovating historical relics; building cultural spaces in central cities. The proportion of people participating in the movement "All people exercise following the example of great Uncle Ho" is increasing, high-performance sports maintain their position domestically and internationally. This is evidence of a cultural strategy closely linked to quality of life.

People are the center of development

The draft Political Report sets out the requirement: “Building a generation of professional farmers with economic thinking, cooperative spirit and the ability to apply science and technology”. This is a shift from traditional production to market thinking, helping An Giang farmers not only produce rice, fish and shrimp but also know how to take into account brand value, supply chain and export.

In addition to farmers, An Giang also focuses on training a team of skilled workers, dynamic businessmen, and high-quality intellectuals. The team of cadres, civil servants, and public employees are required to be responsible, exemplary, daring to innovate, ready to face challenges, and act for the common good. This is the decisive factor in turning cultural resources into competitive advantages.

Education is identified as a top national policy, with 60% of schools meeting national standards and 94.58% of children aged 6-14 attending school. The province prioritizes investment in remote, border, and island areas; develops models of "digital schools" and "digital universal education" so that everyone has access to knowledge. Healthcare is modernized with the goal of providing high-quality services, developing medical tourism, and expanding universal health insurance.

All these efforts aim to improve the material and spiritual life of the people, implementing the motto "leaving no one behind". As Uncle Ho once advised: "Whatever is beneficial to the people must be done with all our might. Whatever is harmful to the people must be avoided at all costs".

In short, An Giang culture and people are not only the rich tradition but also the future of the province. When culture becomes soft power, when people are placed at the center of development, the province will have enough foundation to enter a new era - the era of a vision, a will, a belief in victory.

(To be continued)

VIET TIEN

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/chung-suc-dung-xay-an-giang-ky-nguyen-moi-bai-4-van-hoa-va-con-nguoi-la-nguon-luc-noi-sinh-a461678.html