“Ve ngang mot mua hoa gao/ Thang Ba e ap ma hong/ Bang hoang tieng keu chim sao/ Mot troi hoa do menh mong…” (“Passing by a season of silk-cotton flowers / March shyly blushing pink / Startled by the call of a starling / A vast sky with red blossoms…” (from Ve ngang mua hoa gao by Thien An).

Ask the people of Hue what flower they love most, and most will likely answer: the apricot blossom. To put it more formally, “hoang mai” - yellow apricot, without a doubt. Don’t believe it? Come to Hue and see for yourself! There’s a whole movement called “Yellow apricot blossom in front of the entrance”; a completed research project on “Conservation and development of Hue’s yellow apricot variety (Hue’s Hoang mai)”; a scientific conference on developing Hue’s Hoang mai into a key local product, aimed at successfully realizing the project to build Thua Thien Hue province (now Hue City) into Vietnam’s yellow apricot homeland. My friend, journalist Minh Tu, even published a book called “In front of the house stands a yellow apricot tree”, which sold out instantly, was reprinted, and translated into foreign languages to great acclaim.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has just announced the 2024 environmental protection rankings (covering 63 provinces and centrally governed cities before administrative mergers) based on the PEPI Index. Thua Thien Hue Province, now Hue City, has risen to claim first place on the rankings.

According to Hue City Department of Culture and Sports, Huyen Tran Temple Festival for the Spring of Binh Ngo 2026, themed “Honoring the Ancestors - Sacred Imprints of Territorial Expansion”, will be held on the 8th and 9th days of the first lunar month of the Year of the Horse (corresponding to February 24-25, 2026) at Huyen Tran Cultural Center (151 Thien Thai Street, An Cuu Ward, Hue City).

To share difficulties with people in disadvantaged circumstances on the occasion of the Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026, on February 4th, Thien Tam Fund of Vingroup, in coordination with Hue Newspaper and Radio, Television, organized the presentation of Tet gifts to poor households in Hue City.

On the morning of January 23, Hue City Red Cross Society, in coordination with Vietnam Fatherland Front Committees of Phu Loc and Vinh Loc Communes, organized a program to distribute Lunar New Year gifts for the Spring of Binh Ngo 2026 (the Year of Horse) to poor and near-poor households, families in difficult circumstances, and those severely affected by natural disasters in 2025 in Phu Loc and Vinh Loc Communes. The program was funded by support from Thien Tam Fund of Vingroup.

On the afternoon of January 16th, a working delegation from Ha Tinh Province, led by Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, Mr. Phan Thien Dinh, had a working session with the People’s Committee of Hue City to exchange and learn from experience in the management, investment, and operation of smart urban development models and modern, sustainable household solid waste treatment.

On the morning of January 10, the Youth Union of Hue Newspaper and Radio - Television, in collaboration with sponsors, including: Ba Ria - Vung Tau House Development Joint Stock Company (HODECO), and Thua Thien Hue Construction Joint Stock Company, organized the “Supporting students to school” scholarship awarding ceremony for students in difficult circumstances in Dan Dien Commune.

This was among the key outcomes shared at the Conference on Reviewing the Implementation of Resolution 05/2019/NQ-HDND issued by the Provincial People’s Council (now Hue City People’s Council) on policies supporting community-based tourism (CBT) development in Thua Thien Hue Province (now Hue City) through 2025. The conference, organized by the Department of Tourism on the morning of November 12th, gathered representatives from departments, agencies, and 40 communes and wards across the city.

On the afternoon of November 10, Mr. Phan Thien Dinh, Chairman of the City People’s Committee, held a meeting with the senior delegation of WWF International led by Mr. Martin Kabaluapa Kapinga, Managing Director overseeing WWF offices.