The Hùng Kings Commemoration is a significant occasion for Vietnamese people, a time to honour their founding ancestors and reflect on a shared sense of origin. Recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2012, the Worship of the Hùng Kings holds an important place in the country’s cultural life.
Washi is Japan’s renowned traditional handmade paper. Yet industrialisation has driven a decline of over 70% in the number of traditional papermaking workshops over the past three decades. Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs recorded just 39 workshops in 2019, with numbers continuing to fall.
As Viet Nam makes cultural industry a national priority under Resolution 80, music festivals and cultural events are growing not only in numbers but also in scale. This is attracting more international artists to the country, especially K-pop idols.
An overseas Vietnamese community in Sydney, Australia, held an ao dai parade, their first ever. This landmark event sought to connect all generations of Vietnamese living in Australia and celebrate their shared cultural identity.
Preserving heritage isn't just about safeguarding history; it's about making those ancient values truly come alive for the modern public. Thanks to a recent diplomatic and academic partnership between Vietnam and France, a new digital platform named the 'Hanoi Heritage Tourism Journey' has just been launched.
As cities grow and expand, more and more urban spaces are commercialised to maximise their economic value. But does that necessarily make a city a better place to live?
Halloween is just around the corner, and stores across the U.S. are stocking up on costumes and spooky decorations. Americans are expected to spend a record US$13.5 billion on Halloween this year, but many consumers are keeping a close eye on their budgets.