Cadres, civil servants and public employees are not allowed to attend festivals during office hours in Vietnam

Cadres, civil servants and public employees are not allowed to attend festivals during office hours in Vietnam (Internet image)

1. What are the types of festivals in Vietnam?

According to Article 3 of Decree 110/2018/ND-CP, festivals include:

- 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. Cadres, civil servants and public employees are not allowed to attend festivals during office hours in Vietnam

Article 6 of Decree 110/2018/ND-CP stipulates the rights and responsibilities of festival attendees as follows:

- A festival attendee has the right to:

= Show his/her respect for predecessors and historical figures, and for ethical, cultural, spiritual and religious values;

= Show his/her desire that good luck is brought to him/her, his/her family and homeland;

= Engage in cultural activities and pursue spiritual values.

- A festival attendee has the following responsibilities:

= Strictly comply with regulations of law, and rules for adoption of civilized lifestyle during a festival;

= Behave properly during a festival; wear clothes that are appropriate to Vietnam's fine traditions and customs; do not use bad language and insult spirituality, which badly affects solemn atmosphere of a festival;

= Burn incense and votive papers in designated places; do not push or bump against others; protect the environment;

= Do not organize or engage in superstition-related activities, illegal gambling and other violations of law.

= Do not engage in profitable money exchange within monuments/sites and festivals;

= Officials and workers must comply with the following regulations:

== Do not attend festivals during office hours;

== Do not use state-owned vehicles and state-owned equipment (or rent vehicles) to attend festivals (except for members of the organizing committee or persons assigned to perform duties).

Thus, cadres, civil servants and public employees are not allowed to go to festivals during office hours.

3. Rules for festival organization in Vietnam

- 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.

(Article 5 of Decree 110/2018/ND-CP)

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