On the afternoon of January 29, Song Huong Magazine launched the “Song Huong - The convergence festival” literary essay contest - 2026, aiming to spread the image of Hue during its new stage of development and seek out valuable literary works about the land and people of the Ancient Capital.

From areca sheaths once regarded as agricultural waste, Truong Van Toi (born 2000, Hue City) has built a model to produce bowls and plates from areca sheaths, aiming to reduce plastic waste, create livelihoods for local people, and open up an environmentally friendly consumption pathway.

From her journey to revive the craft of making dó (poonah) paper in the raw material area in the North, Ms. Tran Hong Nhung, the founder of Zó Project, has brought the story of dó paper and beeswax to Hue through hands-on experiences. Here, the craftsmanship techniques of the Dao Tien people are introduced and tested for integration into contemporary life.

On January 27th, Standing Member of the City Party Committee and Permanent Vice Chairman of Hue City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Binh, together with representatives of city departments and agencies, received and worked with a high-level delegation from Vientiane Capital (Laos). The delegation was led by Comrade Tha Nong Xay Khut Phay Thun, Alternate Member of the Central Committee of Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and Head of the Investment Promotion and Economic Management Board of Vientiane Capital.

On the morning of January 22, Vice Chairman of Hue City People’s Committee Hoang Hai Minh, together with leaders of relevant departments and agencies, held a working session with a delegation from the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and representatives of Luxembourg Development Cooperation.

In Hue, the traditional Lunar New Year “Tet” does not arrive with fanfare. It begins quietly in the kitchen, from a pot of banh tet (a cylindrical sticky rice cake with mung beans and pork) glowing over the fire, from the warm scent of ginger, from a jar of mixed pickled vegetables. Just by looking at these dishes, people in Hue know that Tet is very near.

On the afternoon of January 16th, a working delegation from Ha Tinh Province, led by Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, Mr. Phan Thien Dinh, had a working session with the People’s Committee of Hue City to exchange and learn from experience in the management, investment, and operation of smart urban development models and modern, sustainable household solid waste treatment.

On the afternoon of January 14, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Trung, Member of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the City Party Committee, received and held an official meeting with Ms. Dong Biyou, Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Da Nang, along with a delegation from the Chinese Consulate General.

On the morning of January 14, Chairman of Hue City People’s Committee Nguyen Khac Toan, together with Vice Chairman of the City People’s Committee Hoang Hai Minh, and a delegation inspected the operations and business performance of several major corporations, factories, and projects in the area.

On the afternoon of January 12th, at Nguyen Tri Phuong Secondary School, Hue City People’s Committee, in coordination with Vietnam National Industry and Energy Group (Petrovietnam), held an inauguration ceremony for a STEM Labs under the STEM Innovation Petrovietnam Program. Attending the event were Mr. Pham Duc Tien - Standing Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, and Mr. Tran Huu Thuy Giang - Vice Chairman of the City People’s Committee.

The longan wrapped in areca spatheis tied to generations of people in ancient Hue. Nowadays, this image gradually recedes into memory and is increasingly rare.