More than three decades after UNESCO inscribed the Complex of Hue Monuments as a World Cultural Heritage Site (1993), nearly 200 structures and components have been restored, helping turn heritage into a resource for development in the new period.

On July 22nd, 2026, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued Official Dispatch No. 4538/BVHTTDL-DSVH to Hue City People’s Committee, expressing its support for Hue in preparing an application to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in the field of Gastronomy. This is an important step, providing further political and professional support for the city to concentrate resources, complete its application and work toward the 2027 selection cycle.

Among about 3,000 dishes documented nationwide, over 1,700 are believed to be prepared in Hue styles, bearing the distinctive hallmarks of the former imperial capital’s cuisine. This rich culinary heritage is one of the key reasons that Hue has chosen gastronomy as the focus of its application to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN).

From July 16 to 21, a delegation from Hue City, led by Vice Chairman of Hue City People’s Committee Tran Huu Thuy Giang, attended the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee (WHC48) in Busan, South Korea. During the visit, the delegation also organized a series of large-scale cultural and tourism promotion events in Seoul and Busan.

Having withstood countless historical upheavals, tens of thousands of precious Nguyen Dynasty Woodblocks were inscribed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register in 2009, becoming Viet Nam’s first World Documentary Heritage. They are currently preserved under strict archival conditions at the National Archives Center No. IV in Da Lat (now located in Cam Ly Ward, Da Lat City, Lam Dong Province).

In the depth of Hue culture, gardens are not merely green zones, acting as supporting elements for architecture, but a constituent factor shaping the urban identity. Hue is famous for the Perfume River, Mount Ngu, the Citadel, royal tombs, pagodas, and noble residences, but Hue is also well known for its gardens. In Hue, gardens soften architecture, calm the everyday life, deepen poetry, and create a unique urban style: a garden city, a city of poetry, the harmony between man and nature, or “an urban poem” as said by M’Bow, former Director-General of UNESCO.

“Up to now, nearly 200 works and items within the Complex of Hue Monuments have been preserved, restored, and renovated, with a total expense of over 2.000 billion VND. This work has always strictly complied with the regulations of the 1972 World Heritage Convention, UNESCO guidelines, and the Law on Cultural Heritage of Vietnam, ensuring authenticity, integrity, and adaptability to the harsh climate conditions of the Central region of Vietnam, etc.,”. These details were shared by Hue Monuments Conservation Center to Mr. Lazare Eloundou, Director of UNESCO Cultural Heritage Center during his visit and working trip in Vietnam at the end of May.

On July 12, 2025, the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem, Con Son, Kiep Bac Complex of Monuments and Landscapes (located in Quang Ninh, Bac Ninh provinces, and Hai Phong City) was recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage.

From July 5th - 8th, a delegation from Hue City, led by Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee Phan Quy Phuong, participated in the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee (WHC 47) held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris (France).

The companionship of UNESCO and the international community has not only helped Hue’s heritage overcome difficult times but also gradually brought the preservation efforts of Hue’s heritage to reach international standards.