On the morning of May 17th, Hue City Youth and Children Center organized the 6th Expanded Skills Festival for clubs, teams, and groups in Hue City in 2026 at the Quoc Hoc Stele Square in Thuan Hoa Ward.

Hue is a land that bears the imprint of the southward migration and territorial expansion undertaken more than 700 years ago by the people of ancient Thuan Hoa. Very few documents reveal the timing of these migration waves or the organization and formation of Vietnamese villages in the region. Yet during fieldwork, I gained access to several ancient Han-Nom documents recording the migration, land reclamation, and establishment of villages and communes. Most notably is a cadastral record dating to the 9th year of the Dai Hoa reign (1451) under King Le Nhan Tong, compiled exactly 575 years ago.

“Vai nom tren cat” (Fish Trap Baskets on the Sand) or “Vai chai tren cat” (Fishing Nets on the Sand) is one of the activities staged by residents of Thuan An from the familiar movements of traditional fishing work. During every festival season in this coastal area, “Vai nom tren cat” becomes a vibrant source of spiritual and cultural enjoyment for local people and visitors alike.

The annual April 30th reunion of our middle school friends from Thanh Thuy Ward had a special highlight this year. Before heading to Vinh Thanh beach (Phu Vinh Commune), we made a detour to visit the Thuan An overpass bridge on the very day of its official technical opening. There, we shared in the joy of a large crowd of local residents who were seeing this modern bridge with their own eyes for the first time after years of waiting.

On the morning of April 30, Thuan An sea-gate overpass - the longest sea-crossing overpass in Vietnam’s Central Region officially opened to traffic.

The book series “Phan Thuan An and Hue” (Tri Thuc Publishing House), including three volumes - History of Hue, Culture of Hue, and Folktales of Hue - was introduced on April 26 through a collaboration between the author’s family and relevant organizations.

Hue chess has long been renowned for its famous female players, such as Nguyen Thi Thuan Hoa, Hoang Thi Bao Tram, Hoang Thi Nhu Y, and Vo Thi Kim Phung, etc. After these outstanding players retired or moved to compete for other localities, Hue chess recently received good news at the beginning of 2026 as 18-year-old Nguyen Ha Khanh Linh was awarded the title of FIDE Master by the World Chess Federation.

At Thuan An estuary (Thuan An Ward), the rhythm of fishermen’s livelihoods follows the tides with steady regularity. Nearshore net hauls, calls exchanged across the sandy beach, on-the-spot trading activities… all combine to create a vibrant working scene in the summer heat.

The 5th Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day 2026, with the message “Books - Knowledge - Aspiration for National Development”, organized by Hue City Department of Culture and Sports, officially opened on the morning of April 21st at Hue City Library (29A Le Quy Don Street, Thuan Hoa Ward).

Such is the title of a book recently released by Thuan Hoa Publishing House in late March 2026. The more than 20 articles included in the book are the result of a dedicated process of research, documentation, and fieldwork by its two authors, Nguyen Duc Loc and Le Thi Mai An (currently working at the Hue City Museum of History).