Gen Z in Nghe An tells cultural stories through technology.
Today, many young people in Nghe An are contributing to reviving national cultural values through innovative approaches. This makes traditional culture more accessible to modern life and ensures its continued preservation and promotion.
A bridge between tradition and modernity.
At the end of May, members of the Craftverse project – Connecting the essence and spreading the value of handicrafts – had two memorable days participating for the first time in the Nghe An Regional OCOP Specialty Fair, celebrating the Cua Lo Tourism Festival 2026.
At their booth, the students introduced and displayed many handcrafted products made by the women and mothers in Hoa Tien brocade weaving village. These included handbags, wallets, scarves, accessories, and souvenirs that reflect the rich cultural identity of the Thai ethnic group, created by the skillful hands of artisans with unique traditional patterns.
In addition, decorative lamps, handbags, and small vases made from woven bamboo and rattan also attract many visitors, especially young people who love environmentally friendly and culturally valuable handcrafted products.
Before participating in the fair, on the project's Facebook page, the members shared many expectations about creating an exhibition space that would connect tradition and modernity. For them, each product was not simply a handcrafted item, but also carried a cultural story.
"Using technology to tell cultural stories and promote traditional handicrafts" is the primary goal of the Craftverse project – Connecting the essence and spreading the value of handicrafts. This idea originated from a group of young people, students from Nghe An province studying in Vinh and Hanoi, who share a love for their hometown culture and a desire to contribute to preserving fading traditional values.
Sharing her motivation for forming the project, Vo Uyen My, a student from Phan Boi Chau Specialized High School and the project team leader, said: "Currently, many handcrafted products, despite being made with skill, sophistication, and containing stories, are lacking in quality."cultureUnique and distinctive, but still unable to reach a wider market due to limitations in communication, branding, and connecting with customers in the digital environment.
As a student specializing in languages and raised in the city, My said that she and many other members were surprised and delighted when they first visited the craft villages and witnessed firsthand the ethnic minority people weaving brocade or making rattan and bamboo products. These practical experiences helped them better understand the value of traditional crafts and the difficulties artisans face in finding markets for their products.
Based on the stories they heard, the project team aims to bridge the gap between tradition and modernity. Accordingly, Craftverse has built a 3D virtual showroom, allowing users to "step into" the craft villages of Nghe An province through a virtual reality space. Each product is scanned in detail in 3D, accompanied by complete information about the artisan, the crafting process, the history of the village, and 360-degree videos.
Not stopping there, the project team has also set long-term goals. Between 2025 and 2027, Craftverse aims to digitize 300 products and 7 representative craft villages in Nghe An province, building a digital library of 2,000 products and 200 stories of artisans. Further ahead, the members hope this model can be replicated nationwide, gradually forming a "digital map of Vietnamese craft villages."
Initially, when we started the project, we only thought about building Craftverse to participate in creative competitions for students. But as the project progressed, we understood more about the cultural value of Nghe An's craft villages and wanted to connect with them, bringing our products to more fairs and exhibitions to promote and spread them to consumers.
Student Vo Uyen My - Phan Boi Chau Specialized High School
Spreading and promoting cultural values.
From projects digitizing traditional craft villages to school theaters, it's evident that more and more young people in Nghe An are seeking to connect with their national culture through the creative thinking of the new generation. The "Folklore Literature 2026" program, implemented by students of Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted at the end of this school year, is a rather fresh perspective, reflecting the spirit of Gen Z.
Accordingly, instead of approaching folklore as something to memorize, the students proactively researched, adapted, and staged familiar folk works, legends, and melodies. Therefore, even though they were familiar songs like "Floating Water Lilies," "Angry but Loving," and "Xúy Vân's Song," the combination of traditional elements with modern performance styles not only created captivating performances but also affirmed the enduring vitality of national culture in contemporary life.
Ms. Chu Minh Anh Tho, a Literature teacher at Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted, shared that the most valuable thing about accompanying students is not a successful performance or elaborately prepared acts, but the process of them proactively learning, exploring, and nurturing their love for traditional culture.
It is during this journey that the students realize that folklore and national cultural values are not distant or outdated, but are still present in today's life, providing much inspiration for the younger generation to continue to inherit and innovate.
Ms. Chu Minh Anh Tho - Literature teacher at Phan Boi Chau Specialized High School
At the Provincial Boarding High School for Ethnic Minorities, after only 5 years of operation,Cclubfolk artThe student union established by the school has not only been limited to the school's scope but has also expanded to include many meaningful art programs.
The most recent event took place in mid-May, when members of the club were able to participate.Performing arts program to celebrate "I Love My Homeland - Stage 1" organized by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Youth Union in Nghe An.Previously, the club also participated.And quite a few club programs are run on a commissioned or contractual basis.
In April and May of this year, the school's Youth Union Secretary said that the club received many invitations but could not arrange them because the students were in the middle of their exam preparation season.
In fact, the increasing number of shows doesn't happen automatically.However, it was systematically developed by the art club and turned into a "startup project".eachIt won second prize at the provincial level. The project was implemented by Nguyen Thi Ha Han, the Vice President of the club and also a person who participates extensively in cultural preservation activities at school and in the local community..
Currently, there are quite a few organizations that undertake the staging of art programs, but the number of organizations specializing in ethnic arts is still limited. Meanwhile, we have many advantages, such as operating within an educational environment, ensuring stability. The club members are students from various ethnic minority groups in the province, possessing rich cultural identities, a deep understanding of the culture, and the ability to perform ethnic arts authentically and vividly...
Nguyen Thi Ha Han - Provincial Ethnic Boarding High School
From this creativity and dynamism, the members come from the Provincial Boarding High School for Ethnic Minorities.continueThey are fulfilling their passions and spreading the cultural values of their ethnic communities. More importantly, they are opening up a new approach where education, cultural preservation, and economic value can go hand in hand and be effectively promoted.
