Culture – People of Identity: The Root of the New Ho Chi Minh City Megacity
English - Ngày đăng : 09:56, 04/08/2025
Following its expansion, the new Ho Chi Minh City megacity has inherited the rich cultural and human legacy of the former Ba Ria – Vung Tau region. The harmonious integration of local cultural identity with the rhythms of modern urban life has helped shape a distinct character that both preserves tradition and embraces the future.
Indigenous Heritage – Identity Nurtured from the Roots
From the Cho Ro ethnic community to traditional folk rituals like rice pounding dances, rain prayers, the Nghinh Ong Festival, and the commemoration of Lady Phi Yen in Con Dao—traditional cultural values in the former Ba Ria – Vung Tau are being revived and actively promoted. These are not only means of preserving community memory, but also soft assets that support cultural tourism, youth education, and community cohesion in the new Ho Chi Minh City.
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Urban Cultural Standards – Creating a Harmonious Living Environment
Urban culture in the new Ho Chi Minh City goes beyond infrastructure it embodies values that permeate everyday life. From the Co May Bridge to the Go Gang Bridge, these transport structures reflect the symbolic essence of island and marine culture, creatively integrated into urbanization.
The province’s former resolution on cultural and human development continues to be effectively implemented after the merger promoting a lifestyle of compassion, responsibility, solidarity, and sharing. This forms the foundation of a sustainable urban way of life—where every citizen becomes a cultural contributor, from the smallest gestures to preserving shared heritage.
Cultural – Healthcare – Educational Institutions: Connecting a Multi-ethnic Community
Former community structures such as cultural houses, folk activity centers, ethnic musical instrument classes, and traditional performing arts spaces are now pivotal in preserving culture and enhancing life quality. Simultaneously, standardized medical centers and schools have been upgraded to improve access to modern healthcare and education for all demographic groups.
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Vision to 2045: Spreading and Developing Regional Culture
The former Ba Ria – Vung Tau’s cultural strategy has been integrated into the development vision of the new Ho Chi Minh City to 2045. Key objectives include expanding cultural tourism, recognizing more intangible heritage, developing tourism-based craft villages, and establishing cultural education models within minority communities.
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What stands out is how the new city avoids "urbanizing" in a way that erases identity. Instead, it adopts a flexible integration model where local culture forms the core that distinguishes the megacity. Cultural values are no longer confined to local space - they are spreading and gradually infusing into the dynamic rhythm of megacity life.
Local culture is a strategic asset enabling the new Ho Chi Minh City to develop its soft power attracting not only residents but also investors, tourists, and global talent.
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A city cannot become a world-class megacity without deep cultural roots and strong human capital. Indigenous cultural values - from the Cho Ro minority, traditional crafts, and heritage systems form the invisible bond uniting merged regions and laying a shared spiritual foundation. The new Ho Chi Minh City is not only a hub of economic development but also a living space, a space of creativity and belonging for a diverse and civilized community nurtured by centuries of cultural heritage.