Spring is festival season in Vietnam, attracting crowds of people from all over the world. For the Vietnamese, the festivals are an indispensable part of their spiritual and cultural life.

Radio Voice of Vietnam (VOV) talked to Vuong Duy Bao, Deputy Head of the Culture Department of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism about the organisation and management of Vietnam’s Spring festivals.

Reporter: Going on a pilgrimage and taking part in festivals early in the lunar New Year is a Vietnamese tradition. Managing festivals properly to keep them in line with cultural traditions is a matter of great importance. Is there anything new in this year’s festival management?

Mr Bao: According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Vietnam has 7,966 festivals, divided into five categories: folklore, revolutionary history, religion, foreign culture and culture, sports and tourism. Culture, sports and tourism festivals are a new festive form, which has developed rapidly since Vietnam’s international integration.

To prepare for the 2010 festivals, the Party Central Committee’s Propaganda and Education Commission has asked media agencies and culture, sports and tourism departments throughout the country to help discourage public behaviour damaging to Vietnam’s scenic beauty or natural environment.

Early this year, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism instructed relevant agencies to work hard to ensure a safe and healthy celebration of the lunar New Year Festival and major national events. On January 22, the Ministry held online conferences in Hanoi, HCM City and Danang on festival management in 2010. On Feb 3, the Ministry issued Instruction No 16 on managing religious activities at relic sites.

Reporter: Of the festival categories, folklore festivals and culture, sports and tourism festivals have become controversial issues. Why is that?

Mr Bao: An abrupt increase in the number of tourists, particularly in the North, has caused difficulties for management agencies. Several folklore festivals, which have been diluted or changed in form, have failed to reflect national identity. In addition, charity boxes, trays, plates and donation solicitations have become a common occurrence at many relic sites, undermining their spiritual aspect.

Despite the strong development of culture, sports and tourism festivals around the country, many of these are held in an uninspired way without any local cultural flavour.

These problems are partly due to overcrowding at the festivals. Increasing numbers of visitors are overloading limited venues leading to disorder, traffic jams and retailers jacking up their prices, all of which leaves a blot on the festival.

Another problem is the inefficient use of the ministry’s festival budget. Many traditional festivals last too long and do not feature any specific cultural identity.

Reporter: How did the ministry direct localities to organise and manage their festivals?

Mr Bao: The ministry has asked its member agencies, to do a better job of publicizing the significance of each festival and honouring the individuals who are worshiped at the relic sites.

The managing boards of relics must play down the donation boxes to avoid commercializing relics. The ministry has authorized cultural departments at grass-root levels to develop a website to introduce festivals to help people both here and abroad gain a better understanding of the festivals. These departments will also help the ministry complete circulars and regulations regarding weddings, funerals and festivals.

Reporter: How is the website on festivals being built?

Mr Bao: Building the website on festivals began in 2008. We are collecting information about festivals across the country and translating this information into English.

The ministry has also authorised the National Cultural Heritage Department to organise a seminar to identify who will manage the board of relics and landscapes and how relevant agencies can control and use relic site  donations more effectively.

Reporter: What advice do you have for people attending the festivals?

Mr Bao: They should learn more about the traditional festivals, follow their regulations, and be environmentally conscious.

The traditional festivals play an important part in the national industrialisation and modernisation process. Therefore, it is essential to improve festival organisation and management to preserve and promote national cultural identity in line with the spirit of Doi Moi.

Reporter: Thank you very much.