The Minority Ethnic Language Television Channel (VTV5) and Preservation of Minority Ethnic Cultures in Vietnam

Abstract

Vietnam, one of the countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS), is characterized by extensive ethnic diversity with 53 of its 54 ethnic groups identified as minority ethnic groups. Each one has its own language and culture. Maintaining and preserving minority ethnic languages and cultures is the duty of minority ethnic groups, the Vietnamese government, and all the Vietnamese people as part of the effort to make Vietnam a multi-cultural society. The Vietnamese government’s ethnic policies are aimed at establishing the solidarity of all the Vietnamese ethnic groups and preserving their ethnic identity. One means of doing so is by establishing the state-run Minority Ethnic Language Television Channel (VTV5) to disseminate governmental power to the minority ethnic groups located in the mountainous and remote areas that are far from the central government. The appearance of VTV5 has awakened the minority ethnic people’s awareness of their languages and cultures as their own invaluable treasures, thus leading to their efforts to preserve them. This article is aimed at understanding the diversity of Vietnam’s ethnic groups, government policies on ethnic languages for a multicultural society, and the application of television to implement minority ethnic identity preservation policies in Vietnam.