Regulations on rules for festival organization in Vietnam

Regulations on rules for festival organization in Vietnam (Internet image)

1. Forms of festivals in Vietnam

According to Article 3 of Decree 110/2018/ND-CP, festivals have the following forms:

- traditional festival” (including festivals organized at historic - cultural monuments/sites, folk festivals) means a community’s cultural activity that proceeds with traditional rites to satisfy spiritual aspirations of the people.

- “cultural festival” means an event that is organized to introduce typical cultural and sporting values, and image of the country and Vietnamese people

- “industry festival” means an event organized to introduce characteristics and development of industries, honor typical organizations and artisans that made significant contribution to the conservation and development of industries.

- “festival of foreign origin” means an event organized to introduce the culture, economy and society of a foreign country to Vietnam's people.

2. Regulations on rules for festival organization in Vietnam

Specifically, in Article 5 of Decree 110/2018/ND-CP, the rules for festival organization include:

- Festivals are organized to educate the people about patriotism, national pride and “Uống nước nhớ nguồn” (“When drinking water, think of its source”) ethics, honor predecessors, historical figures and those who have made significant contribution to the development of the country; disseminate historical, cultural and architectural values of monuments/sites and traditional values of festivals.

- Festivals must be organized in a formal, practical and effective manner and in conformity with the scope and activities of festivals; organize traditional festivals based on historical or cultural significance; reduce the frequency of traditional festivals.

- Rites of festivals must be performed in a solemn and traditional manner. The rites that are violent, offensive and against Vietnamese people’s love for peace and humanity.

- People are educated in a manner that adopts good behaviors, attitudes and awareness; halt the trend in pursuing material and personal gains.

- Measures must be adopted to protect monuments/sites and scenic landscapes and ensuring security, public order, fire prevention and environmental protection.

- Festivals must not be organized in a manner that serves self-interest and group interest; do not force organizations and individuals to offer contributions for festival organization.

- The use of state budget should be restricted and private sector involvement in organizing festivals should be increased; practice thrift and fight against wastefulness.

3. Responsibilities of festival organizers; responsibilities of festival organizing committees in Vietnam

3.1. Responsibilities of festival organizer

 A festival organizer has the responsibility to:

- Apply for registration of festival organization or festival notification as prescribed in this Circular and organize festivals according to the registered contents approved by the competent authority;

- Establish and approve working regulation of the Festival Organizing Committee; take responsibility for activities of the festival organizing committee;

- Take responsibility for festival management and organization as prescribed in this Decree;

- Submit a report on festival organization to the authority that receives the application for registration or notification (hereinafter referred to as “the receiving authority”) within 20 days from the end of the festival.

(Clause 1, Article 7 of Decree 110/2018/ND-CP)

3.2. Responsibilities of the festival organizing committee

According to Clause 2, Article 7 of Decree 110/2018/ND-CP, a festival organizing committee has the responsibility to:

- Promulgate and disseminate working regulation and assign responsibility to members of the Festival Organizing Committee, and rules for adoption of civilized lifestyle during festivals;

- Disseminate purposes, meaning and values of festivals through a loudspeaker, sign or other dissemination methods; publish hotline for festival attendees to provide their reflections.

- Prepare and implement a plan for ensuring security, social safety and order and environmental safety;

- Promulgate regulation on areas for recreation and service provision, which are not allowed to encroach upon monuments/sites; put up direction signs in appropriate locations to facilitate information access by festival attendees;

- Request service providers and sellers within festival areas to openly post and provide services and sell goods at fixed prices; do not solicit festival attendees and put squeeze on prices; do not sell counterfeit goods, goods of inferior quality or unknown origin; do not sell precious animals and unsafe foods;

- Do not sell tickets and collect fees for festival attendance; provide guidelines for putting donations in designated places; manage and use revenues from festivals that the committee has organized in an effective, open and transparent manner and for the right purposes.

Thanh Rin

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