According to the information announced by the leaders of the Department of Industry and Trade, on the morning of October 27, in the framework of the Autumn Fair 2025, which is taking place in Hanoi, over 30 businesses, cooperatives, craft villages, and industry associations in Hue City are participating in displaying and introducing their products in the event.

Born in 1987, Pa Co man Nguyen Xuan Bay from Ra Looc village - A Soc hamlet, Hong Bac commune (now A Luoi 2 commune) came to traditional music with a pure, instinctive love. “I learned by myself, I felt for myself, and I listened the rhythms that echoed from village festivals, through the hands and breaths of the elders, then practiced on my own,” Bay shared.

Across the fields of Quang Dien, Hue City, there is a farmer who has quietly sowed the seeds of kindness for nearly three decades. Without fanfare or publicity, Van Sinh, 53, a resident of Tan Xuan Lai Village, has silently donated blood 86 times, bringing hope and life to dozens, perhaps hundreds, of people.

Going through many generations, the traditional drum-making craft of the Co Tu people has gradually faded, remaining only in the memories of a few elders. In Doi Village, Khe Tre Commune, artisan and village elder Vuong Van Cua is one of the last people still preserving the ancient secrets of making traditional Co Tu drums.

The stretches of forest in A Luoi not only shelter the villages, but also have now become the livelihood foundation for locals. The Emission Reductions Payment Agreement (ERPA) in the North Central Region has helped people in the mountainous areas gain stable extra income, and more importantly, changed their perspective: Protecting the forest is not just a responsibility, but a right associated with their daily lives.

The Co Tu people in hamlet 5, Nam Dong commune (merged from Huong Xuan, Thuong Nhat and Huong Son communes) still call Village Elder Tran Dinh Lua (72 years old) the “living treasure” of their village. To this day, he is one of the few remaining people who preserve the sacred sound of the gong that has been intertwined with generations of the Co Tu people.

That is the vast green casuarina forest that the people of Thai Duong Thuong village (formerly Hai Duong Commune, now part of Thuan An Ward, Hue City) planted decades ago to shield them from the winds, stop the sand, and protect the village. Amidst the vast sky and land, the casuarina trees grow lush and strong, becoming a sturdy shield, guarding the village from waves and winds, and the harshness of the sea.

Unable to rely solely on love for the craft or pride in the past, Hue’s craft villages must step beyond traditional pathways toward a new journey: Transforming production thinking, applying technology, embracing green transition, elevating quality, and telling cultural stories in more modern ways.

With the development trends of the new era, many craft villages have fallen into decline, with fragmented production, a lack of capital, and outdated technology. These difficulties are major barriers that cause traditional crafts to lose their place in today's socio-economic life gradually.

For centuries, the land of Hue has been renowned for the skillful hands of its artisans. This region is a place not only preserves the cultural heritage of the imperial court, but also serves as the cradle that maintains and develops hundreds of unique traditional craft villages. However, in the face of global integration trends, Hue’s craft villages are confronting numerous challenges.