Chairman of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs (GCRA) Vũ Chiến Thắng hosted on October 4 a warm reception for a visiting delegation of religions from the Vietnam Southwestern province of Soc Trang.
Joining the reception included GCRA’s Vice Chairman Dương Ngọc Tấn and representatives of GCRA’s departments for Buddhist, Catholic, Caodai and Protestant affairs.
The religious delegation comprises of 20 religious dignitaries of four major religious organizations of Theravada Buddhism, Catholicism, Caodaism and Evangelical Church (Southern) in Soc Trang.
Overview of the reception meeting
During the visiting reception, representatives of religious organizations in the province shared and exchanged with the hosts religious practices and practical issues relating religion in the province. They also expressed hope to receive the government religious committee’s further support for practices of religion by local residents in the province.
While extending congratulations to religious dignitaries on their trip to Hanoi, Chairman Vũ Chiến Thắng spoke highly of social and charitable contributions of religious organizations in the locality and expressed hope that dignitaries of religion in Soc Trang would continue joining with local authorities for promoting unity amongst ethnic communities and religious groups, ensuring social stability and boosting socio-economic development in the locality.
The GCRA’s new leader also took the chance to share about the first law on belief and religion in Vietnam and its guiding decrees being drafted for ensuring the implementation of the law when it take effects on January 1st, 2018.
Earlier, the religious delegation from Soc Trang visited the Ministry of Public Security on October 3 on occasion of its visit to Hanoi and was warmly welcomed by Deputy Minister Bùi Văn Nam.
Currently, Soc Trang province is home to over 600,000 followers of religions including Buddhism, Catholicism, Caodaism, Protestantism, etc, with 728 religious worshipping establishments.
Senior Venerable Abbot of Som Rong Pagoda in Soc Trang Lý Đức shares Buddhist practices in the province
Priest Vice Chairman of the Catholic solidarity committee in Soc Trang Nguyễn Hữu Châu speaks about social charities by Catholics in the province.
Pastor Phạm Thanh Bình from the Vietnam Evangelical Church (Southern)’s representative committee in Soc Trang speaks during the meeting.
Group photo at GCRA’s headquarters
Group photo with Deputy Minister Bùi Văn Nam
PTT
