On the morning of May 18th, at Hue Central Hospital, Vietnam Health Workers’ Union, in coordination with the Ministry of Health, held a ceremony to launch Workers’ Month 2026 and implement the emulation movement “Health Workers' Union accompanying the health of workers in the period 2026-2030”.

In celebration of the 136th anniversary of the birthday of President Ho Chi Minh (May 19, 1890 - May 19, 2026), on May 18, the Nguyen Chi Thanh Merit Scholarship Fund under the Hue City Association for Promoting Education held a ceremony to award scholarships to students with outstanding achievements in the 2025-2026 National Excellent Student Competition. The award ceremony took place at Quoc Hoc - Hue High School for the Gifted.

The 2021-2025 period can be regarded as one of the most extraordinary stages in the development history of Hue City. This was not merely a term of socio-economic development following a conventional trajectory, but rather a period of “running while lining up”: simultaneously coping with unprecedented shocks from the COVID-19 pandemic and global instability, while concentrating resources to realize the strategic goal of becoming a centrally governed municipality.

In the early summer morning mist, while the weather still carries a hint of chilly breeze, many people passing by Tinh Tam Lake inside Hue Citadel feel as though they have “wandered into a serene space”, where some brew tea, some enjoy tea, others gently pick lotus blossoms, while locals and visitors take the opportunity to pose for photos with the blooming lotus flowers… Tinh Tam has long been a famous scenic spot, once listed by Emperor Thieu Tri as one of the “Twenty finest landscapes of the Imperial Land”. Contributing greatly to the fame of this landmark is the white lotus, also known as the “royal” lotus.

On the afternoon of May 16th, at UK Academy Hue Bilingual International School, the Department of Education and Training, in coordination with FPT Corporation, held a ceremony to honor and present awards for the VioEdu Arena in the 2025-2026 school year.

On the morning of May 16, Hue City Department of Health coordinated with its Youth Union and Veteran Association, FPT Long Chau, and local authorities to hold a program providing free medical check-ups, health consultations, and medicine distribution for residents in Vinh Loc Commune.

Many residents and visitors coming to Hue have chosen their own unique way to “escape the heat” by heading to the Tam Giang - Cau Hai Lagoon system, where the vast expanse of water and breeze helps ease the oppressive summer heat.

Under the theme “Hue Heritage - Convergence and Divergence”, the exhibition introduced nearly 150 remarkable sketch artworks depicting Hue to the public in Ho Chi Minh City. The collection is currently preserved by Hue Museum of Fine Arts.

On May 15, in Hanoi, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) held the announcement ceremony for the Vietnam Private Economy Report 2025 and the Provincial Competitiveness Index 2025 (PCI 2025).

Hue is a land that bears the imprint of the southward migration and territorial expansion undertaken more than 700 years ago by the people of ancient Thuan Hoa. Very few documents reveal the timing of these migration waves or the organization and formation of Vietnamese villages in the region. Yet during fieldwork, I gained access to several ancient Han-Nom documents recording the migration, land reclamation, and establishment of villages and communes. Most notably is a cadastral record dating to the 9th year of the Dai Hoa reign (1451) under King Le Nhan Tong, compiled exactly 575 years ago.