The event saw the presence of Vice Chairman of the Central Commission on Mass Mobilization Đỗ Văn Phới, Vice Chairwoman of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs (GCRA) cum Head of the working group Trần Thị Minh Nga, Head of Religious Affairs Department under the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee Nguyễn Văn Thanh, Deputy Head of Hanoi municipal Committee for Religious Affairs Phạm Bảo Khánh, Most Venerable Standing Vice President of the VBS’s Central Executive Committee Thích Thanh Nhiễu, Seniour Venerable General Secretary cum Vice President of the of the VBS’s Central Executive Committee Thích Đức Thiện, and members the working group.

 GCRA’s Vice Chairwoman Trần Thị Minh Nga speaks at the meeting.

During the event, the meeting participants discussed updated reports of the working group on preparations for celebrations of the VBS’s 40^th anniversary, including venues, plans of celebrating programs and activities, pandemic and fire prevention measures, collaboration between concerning ministries and central agencies in assisting the celebrations of the VBS founding anniversary, etc.

 Seniour Venerable General Secretary Thích Đức Thiện delivers his speech at the event.

Speaking at the meeting, Seniour Venerable General Secretary cum Vice President of the VBS’s Central Executive Committee Thích Đức Thiện stated that the VBS’s 40^th founding anniversary is such a great and important event of the whole Buddhist Sangha. However, given the ongoing complicated context of the Covid-19 pandemic, the VBS has decided to hold an online celebrating program with the central and provincial-level stations in 63 provinces and cities. He also informed of proposed plans for the central celebrating venue, the celebrating program, guests, messages, publications and online seminars.

 Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Vũ Chiến Thắng addresses the meeting.

Addressing the event, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Vũ Chiến Thắng emphasized that the VBS’s 40^th founding anniversary is great opportunity for the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha to review its development in the past four decades, as well as for the Government to acknowledge practical contributions of the Buddhist sangha in the cause of the national construction and defense, including its support to the Covid-19 pandemic prevention work over the past two years.

He also asked the inter-ministerial working group to proactively guide the VBS to celebrate its 40^th founding anniversary in solemn and safe manners in the context of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, and requested the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha to early complete necessary preparations and guide its provincial-level chapters in celebrating the founding anniversary.

As earlier reported, the grand celebration with the theme “VBS’s 40^th founding anniversary: Integration and development together with the country” will be held online on November 7 this year with the central station set up at the headquarter of the Vietnam Fatherland Front’s Central Committee and the provincial-level station established at the headquarter of the provincial-level VFF committee in all 63 provinces and cities of the country.    

PTT