Vice Chairman of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs (GCRA) Nguyễn Tiến Trọng hosted on December 25 a reception for the visiting delegation from the international Jehovah's Witnesses Association led by Deputy Director of the Information Office of the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses in New York city.
GCRA Vice Chairman Nguyễn Tiến Trọng has exchanges with Deputy Director Gilles Pichaud
Joining the delegation included Director of the Asia - Pacific Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses Steven Park.
At the reception
During the visit, while welcoming the Jehovah's Witnesses delegation, Vice Chairman Nguyễn Tiến Trọng shared with the guests religious life and the Party’s guidelines and the State’s policies on belief and religion.
He stated that Vietnam is a multi-ethnic country and the Vietnamese State has recognized and granted operation licenses to 43 organizations belonging 16 religions with more than 26.5 million followers, or about 27% of the population. The State always respects and protects the freedom of belief and religion, following or not following a religion of people and these rights have specified in the Constitution 2013, the Law on Belief and Religion and its Decree 162/2027/ND-CP, creating a firm legal framework to ensure the exercise of the rights to freedom of belief and religion, he added.
In addition, Vietnam has also been paying attention to and creating favorable conditions for religious organizations to expand their activities of international relations. Hundreds of delegations of Vietnamese religious organizations and individuals have participated in religious activities abroad each year, and many foreign religious dignities have come to Vietnam for religious exhanges.
Speaking with the hosts, Deputy Director Gilles Pichaud thanked the GCRA for the warm welcome and members of the delegation had exchanges on the Jehovah's Witnesses association in the world, the Asia region in general and Vietnam in particular, advantages and as well as difficulties in conducting religious practices in Vietnam.
Vice Chairman Nguyễn Tiến Trọng expressed hope that Deputy Director Gilles Pichaud and members of the delegation would have good experiences in Vietnam, as well as the Jehovah's Witnesses association in Vietnam would continue guiding its followers to practice the religion according to the law and proactively enage in social activities.
Minh Lan
