Establishing 'Hue Bookcase' to introduce and promote Hue culture

The Government’s issuance of Decree No. 282/2026/ND-CP on July 14th, 2026, to provide guidance for the implementation of Resolution No. 28/2026/QH16 on the development of Vietnamese culture and establishing criteria for piloting the cultural heritage city model, has opened up a new approach to the relationship between conservation and development.

After its preliminary round, the 2026 Children’s painting contest based on books, themed ‘Drawing the Future with Books’, attracted over 350 paintings submitted by students aged 6 to 15 from across Hue City. Organized by Hue City Library, the contest selected 50 works from the entries for the final round, which was held on August 14.

Drawing inspiration from renowned artists with the combination of traditional materials, the child artists had the chance to experience an inspiring creative journey. Each artwork presented to the public not only showcased the children’s artistic talent but also conveyed a unique message of its own.

It is not even the end of the sixth lunar month, but I have already heard elderly men in my neighborhood enthusiastically asking one another how the upcoming Autumn offering ceremony will be organized at the village communal house, and whether the heads of the clans have made plans to meet yet. It may seem strange that amid the bustle of city life, these elderly men are passionately talking about village affairs. The village communal house is not far away either, just a few dozen meters from my house. “The city also began with villages. Preserving the roots of the village means preserving its culture for future generations. You young people should remember that,” they would tell me whenever I asked.

After nearly two decades of practicing art, Mr. Nguyen Van He has found himself returning to one question: How can memories be transformed into hope? The Hue-born artist has “distilled” his answer into ‘Folding a Sky’, an exhibition he painstakingly brought from Kim Son Hill to Ho Chi Minh City to present to the public in mid-July.