GCRA official Nguyễn Tiến Trọng (right) and IGE President Bob Roberts

During the visiting reception, Protestant pastors joining the delegation shared with the GCRA official their experiences during the working trip to Vietnam and their feelings toward the country and people of Vietnam.

On behalf of the delegation, IGE President Bob Roberts informed that the working trip is an annual gathering of international Protestant pastors in different countries to learn about the activities of Protestant churches and the culture, people, and religious life of the host country.

The IGE President also expressed his admiration for Vietnam's outstanding development over the last 30 years, and affirmed that the results of socio-economic development and the implementation of policies to ensure religious freedom in Vietnam is a potential model for IGE in researching and implementing the organization's projects in other countries.

On the occasion, President Bob Roberts thanked Vietnam Government for creating favorable conditions to the IGE's projects in the country over the last years and stated that Vietnam has tried its best to create space for people’ religious freedom, and the IGE is contributing to spreading these wonderful experiences in Vietnam to the world.

At the visiting reception

He also informed about IGE's key activities in Vietnam in 2025 including an international conference on religious freedom which scheduled to take place in collaboration with the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics in Hanoi in March, on occasion of the 30th anniversary of establishing the diplomatic relation between Vietnam and the United States, and expressed hope that the conference would be an opportunity for delegates including politicians from the U.S. Department of State and others countries to witness the reality of the diverse and vibrant religious life in Vietnam. The IGE official commented that IGE supports the removal of Vietnam from the special watch list (SWL) by the U.S. State Department.

At the reception, while welcoming the delegation, Vice Chairman Nguyễn Tiến Trọng highlighted good relations between the GCRA and the IGE over the last years through international conferences and seminars on religion held in Vietnam, and training programs for Vietnamese public servants tasked with religious affairs. He also thanked generations of IGE leaders for their good reflections on the religious life in Vietnam to the US Government and people.

Speaking with the guests, GCRA Chairman Nguyễn Tiến Trọng informed the IGE official and Protestant pastors about religious life in Vietnam and the policies of respecting and ensuring religious freedom of State of Vietnam. He regretted that the U.S. put Vietnam on the SWL for the last two consecutive years.

The GCRA official stated that with its functions and competence, the GCRA would continue coordinating with IGE in the Institute's survey and research activities on religious life and policies in Vietnam.

He also sent warm greetings to the IGE president and members of the delegation on occasion of upcoming Christmas and New Year 2025.

Posing for group photo

The delegation led by IGE President Bob Roberts included pastors from seven countries of India, the United States, Indonesia, Japan, China, Australia and Switzerland. The delegation’s working trip to Vietnam from December 1-6  had separate meetings with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, and visits to the Aquila Protestant group located in Hanoi City’s Quoc Oai district and the International Protestant Church (HIF) located in Hanoi City.

NL