From October 22 to 26, the first Vietnam Calligraphy Festival 2026, themed ‘Vietnamese Soul through Brushstrokes’, will take place in Co Mat Vien, No. 33 Tong Duy Tan St., Phu Xuan Ward. The event will feature a wide range of activities, including exhibitions, cultural exchanges and discussions, as well as hands-on calligraphy experiences.

The train trip connecting Hue and Da Nang has been ranked 10th on Condé Nast Traveler (US edition)’s list of top 20 best train trips in the world for 2026, as voted for by readers. The recognition highlights the appeal of Central Vietnam’s natural landscapes, cultural heritage, and railway tourism experiences.

On October 14 in Hanoi, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Hue City People’s Committee signed an Action plan for cooperation on the development of culture, sports, and tourism through 2030. Hue City is the first locality to sign such a cooperation plan, aiming to tap into the potential and advantages of the city as a heritage city, a Festival City, and a distinctive cultural center of Vietnam.

On October 14, the Department of Science and Technology, the standing board of the Organizing Committee for the 2026 Hue City Creative Startup Competition, held the semifinal round for 30 outstanding projects selected from the preliminary round. This semifinal round was held under the theme ‘Promoting Cultural Heritage Values in the Digital Economy’.

On the morning of October 13th, Hue City Women's Union held a conference to review the project titled ‘Developing Sustainable Livelihoods through Sustainable FSC Forest Management and Piloting Community-Based Tourism to Revive Traditional Cultural Practices of Ethnic Minority Communities in Phuc Loc Village, Hung Loc Commune.’

Hue has the potential not only to become a prominent culinary destination in Southeast Asia but also to work towards a position among Asia’s leading culinary centers. Therefore, preparing an application dossier to join UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in the field of cuisine would strengthen Hue’s culinary brand name, promote its cultural values more widely, and boost tourism.

The final round and award ceremony of the 2026 Cultural and Arts Festival within Vietnam Fatherland Front system, themed ‘Song of Great National Unity’, was held on the afternoon of October 8th by the Standing Board of Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Hue City. Mr. Nguyen Chi Tai, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee and Chairman of Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Hue City, attended and provided guidance at the event.

As Hue moves toward its goal of becoming a distinctive heritage city and a major cultural and tourism hub for Vietnam and Southeast Asia by 2030, external relations, particularly cultural diplomacy, are taking on a strategic role. This is what Vice Chairman of Hue City People’s Committee Tran Huu Thuy Giang announced about how Hue can turn its cultural ‘soft power’ into a driving force for sustainable socio-economic development.

On the afternoon of 30/9, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee and Chairman of Hue City People's Committee Le Tri Thanh led a survey of several heritage sites and cultural spaces to assess their current conditions and study ways to promote their historical, architectural and landscape values.

Beyond meeting the healthcare needs of local residents, Hue is welcoming an increasing number of international patients for medical examinations and treatment. Alongside its clinical expertise, advanced medical techniques and growing focus on service quality, the city has favorable conditions to develop healthcare services linked to tourism, wellness and cultural experiences.