On the morning of August 28, Vietnam Railways Corporation (VNR), in collaboration with Quang Tri Province People’s Committee and Hue People’s Committee, officially launched the ‘Phong Nha - Hue Imperial City: A World Heritage Journey’ tourist train at Dong Hoi Railway Station. Later that day, Hue City welcomed the train and held a ceremony to mark its arrival.

Rather than focusing on sheer visitor numbers, the Hue Monuments Conservation Center is shifting its service strategy at the Imperial City and other heritage sites toward product selectivity and enhanced visitor experiences, to attract high-spending tourists.

On the afternoon of August 20, at Duyet Thi Duong Theater - Hue Imperial Citadel, the City People’s Committee held a conference themed ‘The digital community pioneers together for a smart, creative, secure, safe, and prosperous Hue in the new era of development’.

On July 20, Hue Central Hospital hosted the 7th Imperial City Eye Meeting 2026 (ICEM 2026) under the theme “From Fundamentals to Challenges in Surgery.” Taking place from July 20 - 22, the event brings together over 200 ophthalmologists, researchers, and healthcare professionals from Vietnam and abroad to discuss the latest advances in ophthalmology, strengthen international collaboration, and enhance the quality of eye care services for the public.

Visitors at the Hue Singing Performance Space on Le Loi Street in Hue recently enjoyed an unexpected musical experience as the powerful rhythms of the West African Djembe blended with the familiar melodies of Hue Singing. Bringing this distinctive sound to the former imperial city was Michael Schmidt Kanté, a French musician who has spent years traveling across continents to study and perform traditional music.

On May 30, the 2026 Imperial City Scientific Conference on infectious diseases was held at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University. The event attracted nearly 250 delegates and almost 20 leading experts in infectious diseases, microbiology, and tropical diseases from across Vietnam.

After nearly 80 years of existing as little more than a foundation, Dai Cung Mon - the main gate of the Forbidden Purple City – will be reconstructed. The project will help complete the central axis of Hue Imperial Citadel and open up a new heritage experience space for visitors.

In the cultural life of Hue, tea is not simply a beverage but a way of living imbued with ceremonial depth and aesthetic, intertwined with social conduct, the unhurried rhythm of life, and the quiet composure of the people of this ancient imperial city. The art of drinking tea in Hue, therefore, reflects not only the taste of appreciation but also cultural refinement, a philosophy of life, and the lifestyle of a city that once served as the nation’s political and cultural center.

In the mid-20th century, the establishment of multiple music publishing houses positioned Hue as a vital hub of Vietnamese music. As the former imperial capital, the city was both a magnet for prominent composers and a pioneering cradle that shaped the professional contours of Vietnam’s modern and traditional music through its distinguished publishing system.

At the heart of the Imperial City of Hue, the 180-year-old Co Mat Vien (Supreme council for military and major state affairs of the Nguyen Dynasty) is gradually being revitalized in a new guise. Formerly the seat of the highest decisions of the Nguyen Dynasty, the space is being shaped into a center for creativity, education, and heritage experiences for the community.