Long An: Preserving and promoting value of historical-cultural relics

The Relic of Mr. Bo Tho's garden and house (Binh Huu 2 village, Duc Hoa Thuong commune, Duc Hoa district) were invested and repaired with an amount of VND 6 billion from the provincial budget.

Mobilizing many resources

Long An has a rich historical-cultural tradition, marked by relics. The HCRs are located around the province, scattered in the southern districts along National Highway 1 and the provinces of Dong Thap Muoi area.

Deputy Director of the provincial Museum-Library - Nguyen Van Thien said: “To strengthen the management, renovation and restoration to promote the value of relics, the Department of Culture - Sports and Tourism issued documents to direct, guide, propagate and disseminate legal regulations in implementing salary and policies related to the Division of Culture and Information of districts, towns, cities and grassroots cultural staff as well. The survey, inventory and making scientific documents of HCRs to submit to the competent authorities for rating and guaranteeing the targets assigned by the provincial People's Committee".

In the period 2015-2020, the provincial People's Committee recorded the investment capital for constructing and restoring the relics such as the Relic of Southern Party Committee and the Administrative Committee – against invader’s wars, Nguyen Thong Memorial Area, Memorial Area of Lawyer Nguyen Huu Tho, Duc Hoa Crossroads HCR and provincial Revolutionary HCR. For the remaining relics, the provincial People's Committee assigned the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to continue researching and advising to set up new projects to preserve, repair and restore them according to regulations.

Facing the deterioration of Mr. Bo Tho’s relic of garden and house (located in Binh Huu 2 hamlet, Duc Hoa Thuong commune, Duc Hoa district) was invested with the cost of VND 6 billion from the provincial budget. This is the provincial-level historical relic marking the event of the establishment of the first Party Cell of Cho Lon province. Currently, items such as the main house of monument, cellars and statues of 7 members attending the secret meeting on March 6, 1930 have been completed.

However, the State's investment fund in the preservation, renovation and restoration of HCRs is limited, it is difficult to distribute equal capital for all relics. Therefore, socialization fund to preserve and promote the value of relics is necessary. Accordingly, all levels and sectors focus on mobilizing many resources to implement. In particular, the propaganda to raise awareness of the community about the significance of conservation of monuments is promoted.

Tan Xuan Communal House was rebuilt and restored with the cost of over VND 6 billion from the socialization fund

One of the seriously degraded relics which was restored and embellished from the socialization fund is Tan Xuan communal house where the Lam Chay Festival (in Tam Vu town, Chau Thanh district) takes place every year. This is the communal house recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a national-level historical relic in 2014. Over time, the Tan Xuan communal house is seriously degraded. Until June 2, 2016, it was restored with an area of 430 square meters, with a budget of over VND 6 billion from the socialization fund. The newly restored communal house embellishes the needs of the local people's spiritual life. Thereby, it contributes to preserving, promoting identity and educating patriotism for now-and-then generations.

Promoting historical and cultural values

The Memorial Area of Lawyer Nguyen Huu Tho (in Ben Luc town, Ben Luc district) was built and put into use from July 2015 with the scale of 10,000 square meters. This is a national-level monument that attracts many visitors in tours and learning our own ancestors. In order to promote the value of monuments, educate historical traditions, especially the life and career of late lawyer Nguyen Huu Tho by the end of 2017, the item of the showroom and lawyer career is continued being completely constructed with a budget of over VND 2 billion.

The showroom of the dignity and the career of late lawyer Nguyen Huu Tho was built completely to serve the visitors’ needs of visiting and learning

The gallery was inaugurated in July 2018, consisting of pictures, precious documents and photographs of the portrait of Lawyer Nguyen Huu Tho. Student Phan Thi Nhu Quynh (in Ben Luc town, Ben Luc district) expressed: “With many images, artifacts, and so on at the showroom, our young generation better understands the life and career of Lawyer Nguyen Huu Tho as well as patriotism, the spirit of fighting against foreign aggression of former generation. Since then, I try to study to continue the revolutionary tradition”.

Duc Hoa Crossroads (in Duc Hoa town, Duc Hoa district) where it marked many important events in history, was ranked as a national-level historical relic in September 1989. Over the past time, this relic area has been paid attention by investors to restore and renovate with a total budget of over VND 32 billion. Accordingly, many items of the relic area such as Vo Van Tan statue are 10 meters high, park, park gate, fence, pictures reenacting the demonstration on June 4, 1930, showrooms, shooting stations, and so on were constructed and has completed so far. In addition, the original monuments such as Dinh house in Duc Hoa district, blockhouse system, etc. were also restored.

Historical relic area of Duc Hoa Crossroads is interested in investing and renovating by the province to promote traditional values and education

"In the period of 2021-2025, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism established a list of public investment projects, including relics: Nguyen Thong Memorial Area, the house and brick kiln of Vo Cong Ton, etc.", said Nguyen Huu Tai - Deputy Head of the division in charge of the Project Management Unit for constructing the work of Culture, Sports and Tourism (under Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism).

Preserving, embellishing and promoting the value of historical-cultural relics is a practical activity expressing the gratitude of the young generation nowadays. This job requires the mobilization of social resources to join hands.

The whole province has 111 historical-cultural relics (including 21 national-level relics and 90 provincial-level ones) and 3 historical cultural works. The development orientation in the field of the provincial culture, sports and tourism is preserving and promoting the value of historical-cultural relics and cultural heritage associated with sustainable tourism development./.

By staff – Translated by Duc Tam