During the process of industrialisation, modernisation and international integration, it is essential to promote the traditions that have been nurtured for thousands of years while adopting modern values in the new circumstances.

The statement was made by Prof. Dr. Phung Huu Phu, permanent Vice Chairman of the Party Central Committee’s Theoretical Council, at the council’s February 27 workshop on improving personal and societal values in the changing context.

During the process of reviewing several theoretical and practical issues after 30 years of Doi Moi (reform), he emphasised the need to study and design a set of Vietnamese values.

Accordingly, delegates ultimately proposed 11 priority values that should be promoted in the current era.

A survey on changes in the traditional set of values revealed that the most important personal value is family happiness, selected by 82.9 percent of the surveyed, followed by stable employment (75.4 percent) and social equality (53.4 percent), while the best virtues are patriotism (70.8 percent), unity (68.3 percent) and hospitality (66.3 percent). Corruption, bureaucracy, and bribery were considered the most serious social evils.

Discussions and outcomes of the workshop will be consolidated into a report to be submitted to the 12th National Party Congress.

Once completed, the set of values will be included in school curricula and disseminated widely.-VNA