Hòa Minzy tops global trending charts for second time in 2025

As the Lunar New Year 2026 approaches, artists in Vietnam’s Central Highlands province of Gia Lai are turning to the horse, the zodiac animal of the coming Year of the Horse, as a central motif for new sculptures and paintings that reflect personal hopes, family bonds and artistic renewal.

 Dr. Võ Minh Hải, Deputy Head of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at Quy Nhon University and a long-time researcher of Han-Nom studies, has spent more than two decades working with ancient scripts and documents.

The song "Thưa Đảng," composed and performed by singer Anh Tú during the "Forever faithful to the Communist Party" art program, has received a flood of praise for its meaningful lyrics, which inspire pride and patriotism.

Gia Lai Province will stage low-altitude fireworks displays at two central squares during the 2026 Lunar New Year (The Year of Horse), following approval by provincial authorities, according to an official document.

Quang Trung-Nguyễn Huệ remains a national hero of Vietnam, a status affirmed by historical records and enduring public reverence rather than modern propaganda, historians and official chronicles show.

In Vietnam’s Central Highlands province of Gia Lai, residents in Phú Thiện and Chư A Thai have begun erecting traditional cây nêu (New Year bamboo poles) more than a month before the Lunar New Year, transforming local streets with colourful decorations and a renewed sense of optimism.

The traditional Jrai engagement ceremony has been faithfully reenacted in Ơp village, Pleiku Ward, Gia Lai Province, as part of efforts to preserve indigenous culture while developing community-based tourism that can generate livelihoods and improve local living standards.

A photographer from Gia Lai Province has won a consolation prize at the fourth Chư Yang Sin Literature and Arts Awards, held on December 29 at the Đắk Lắk Provincial Culture and Tourism Center.

The Quang Trung Museum on January 3 held a solemn memorial ceremony to honour the Tây Sơn Tam Kiệt—Nguyễn Nhạc, Nguyễn Huệ and Nguyễn Lữ—at the Tây Sơn Tam Kiệt Temple in Tây Sơn Commune.

Thousands of residents and visitors gathered on Dec. 31 as Gia Lai staged its Countdown to New Year 2026 celebrations simultaneously at Nguyễn Tất Thành Square in Quy Nhơn Ward and Đại Đoàn Kết Square in Pleiku Ward, marking the arrival of the new year with music, culture and fireworks.

On the evening of December 31, at the Pleiku Ward Children's House (Gia Lai province), the free music event "Pleimer Town – End Year Countdown 2025" took place, drawing more than 2,000 attendees who immersed themselves in a vibrant night of music to welcome the New Year 2026.

The Gia Lai Literature Sub-Association on December 27 convened its first congress for the 2025-2030 term, electing a new leadership and outlining priorities to support writers and literary activities in the province.

Gia Lai will usher in 2026 with a large-scale countdown event held simultaneously in Quy Nhon and Pleiku on the night of December 31, organisers said. The programme aims to deliver an emotionally charged artistic experience marking the transition to the new year.

A memorial ceremony marking the 223rd anniversary of the death of Admiral Bùi Thị Xuân was held on December 25 at her temple in Phú Xuân quarter, Tây Sơn commune, Gia Lai province, the Quang Trung Museum said.

“Bông trang đỏ” (Red ixora), published by the Writers’ Association Publishing House in 2025, is a collection of 13 of Nguyễn Đặng Thùy Trang’s most cherished short stories, selected from her works written since 2019. 

In Vietnam’s Central Highlands, Chăm H’roi artisans in Canh Thành village are working to safeguard their ancestral gong music by teaching younger generations, ensuring a cultural tradition once at risk continues to resonate in daily life.

Nearly 50 grassroots trade unions across Gia Lai province have joined a dance video contest aimed at celebrating Central Highlands culture and marking the first Gia Lai Provincial Trade Union Congress for the 2025–2030 term.

Gia Lai province secured two awards at the fifth “Living Beautifully” contest, themed The Miracle of Compassion, at a closing ceremony hosted by Thanh Niên Newspaper in Ho Chi Minh City.

"Suối nguồn Pleiku" is a commemorative volume compiled by the Liaison Committee of Former Students of Pleiku High Schools before 1975, featuring moving essays about old friends and former schools. 

Pleiku Library in Gia Lai Province has completed the handover of community bookcases and 3,540 books to 12 communes in the province’s western region, according to its director, Nguyễn Thị Thủy.

The People’s Committee of Gia Lai province has approved a plan to consolidate and reorganise public service units across multiple provincial departments, aiming to streamline the organisational structure and expand financial autonomy.

It’s time to uncork the prosecco and maybe order a plate of tagliatelle al ragù for the table. Italy has a very tasty reason to celebrate: Its national cuisine has become the first entire gastronomic style to be recognized by UNESCO, the UN’s cultural body.

Nature remains a sacred force guiding the spiritual and practical lives of Central Highlands ethnic communities, where centuries-old beliefs continue to shape farming, forest use and seasonal rituals.

Young people in Vietnam’s Gia Lai province are turning to fashion and digital tools to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of the Central Highlands, as modern life accelerates and traditional values risk fading.