The Institute of Philosophy under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) held an international conference named “National Values in the New Context” in Hanoi on July 9. Illustrative image. (Photo: Nhan dan)

The Institute of Philosophy under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) held an international conference named “National Values in the New Context” in Hanoi on July 9.

According to Assoc. Prof., Dr. Nguyen Tai Dong, Director of the Institute, the document of the 13th National Party Congress stresses the requirement to focus on researching, defining and implementing the building of the national value system.

In his speech at the national cultural conference on implementing the resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong mentioned the national value system which consists of nine elements: peace, unity, independence, wealthy people, strong country, democracy, justice, civilisation, and happiness.

National values both ensure individuals’ freedom and protect human rights, aiming to eliminate inequality, and express the will of the whole nation, and the aspiration and mission of the entire people, not just a choice or privilege for few people.

They are formed from the development practice of each country, and each chooses different values and gives different priorities to those values in different periods, with specific historical conditions.

Regarding solutions to promote the nation’s traditional values in building a prosperous and happy country and in meeting requirements of the new situation, Mai Dieu Linh from the institute said that along with preserving the fine traditional values of the Vietnamese nation, it is necessary to introduce those values to international friends, and selectively absorb the world’s cultural quintessence.

She stressed the need to promote the role of the State, and better coordination between relevant authorities, organisations and individuals, especially the young generation, in order to continue preserving, developing and promoting Vietnamese traditional values to the world.