Whether by fate or extraordinary circumstance, within just 42 days, one tank company had the honor of participating in the liberation of all three major cities in southern Vietnam: Hue, Da Nang, and Saigon. The tracks of their tanks stretched over a thousand kilometers from A Luoi (Hue) to the Independence Palace, where they smashed through the gates and raised the victorious revolutionary flag atop the building, signaling total victory. That unit was Company XT4 of the heroic 203rd Tank Brigade.

On the occasion of April 30 - May 1 holidays marking Reunification Day and International Workers’ Day, young people in Hue and tourists are drawn to vibrant check-in spots decked out with the colors of the red flag with yellow star, vintage coffee shops, and heritage-rich spaces steeped in local identity. Beyond an opportunity for “checking-in”, these destinations offer a chance for the young to find balance, recharge, and enjoy the holiday in a way that is both reflective and vividly expressive.

Such is the theme of a special exhibition held by Hue City History Museum to commemorate the 96th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam (February 3rd, 1930 - February 3rd, 2026) and to celebrate the Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026. The exhibition opens to the public on February 3rd.

In 2005, I was fortunate to meet Dang Van Viet, a revered elder, in Hue, where he had come from Hanoi to join the 60th anniversary of the Frontline Youth School. There, I learned that he was the one who, together with a comrade, raised the red flag with the yellow star over the Phu Van Lau (Phu Van Pavilion) flagpole on August 21, 1945-when the August Revolution had yet to break out, Japanese forces were still armed, and the Nguyen dynasty still stood in the imperial capital of Hue.

There are flags that have passed through the smoke and fire of war, stretched against storms and floods, and flown proudly at historic milestones. Every fold, every thread is soaked with sweat and tears, embracing the shape of the homeland, igniting faith and pride in the hearts of generations

Beneath the bright red national flag proudly flying over the skies of Truong Sa (Spratly Islands), we silently call out the names of the heroic martyrs who gave their lives to defend the sacred seas and islands of our homeland, hearing their echoes within the gentle murmur of waves welcoming a new, peaceful day.

In 2020, when male officials and civil servants of the Department of Culture and Sports wore ao dai during working days and the weekly flag-raising ceremony, it immediately sparked controversy online. Then, it was not just the cultural sector, at important events, the provincial leaders (now Hue City) and intellectuals also began wearing ao dai. The appearance of the traditional ao dai for both men and women at cultural and educational events made the ceremonies more solemn, elegant, and impressive.

Already a familiar face among startup CEOs in Hue, this time I met with Ngo Duc Vuong - Director of Hue One Food Company, whose flagship product has been dubbed “Hue Pizza” - the Thuan An pressed rice cake. We chatted over coffee in Grand Prairie, Texas, as he continued his mission of spreading the story of Hue’s entrepreneurial journey through the pressed rice cake and promoting Hue culture in the U.S market.

Appearing during the revolutionary movement in 1940 in the South, the red flag with yellow star – a particularly sacred symbol of Vietnam– is closely associated with the Vietnamese People’s history of defence and preservation of national independence, as well as the renewal and development process, standing shoulder to shoulder with great powers across the five continents.

On the evening of January 11th, in Trung Son Commune (A Luoi District), the Border Guard Command of Hue City, in collaboration with the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Hue City, organized the flagship program “Border Spring warms the people’s hearts” in celebration of the At Ty Lunar New Year - 2025.