The Government Committee for Religious Affairs (GCRA) in collaboration with the People’s Committee in Ha Giang province held a conference on the second-quarter state governance on belief and religion on June 28.
The event was co-chaired by Chairman of the GCRA Vũ Chiến Thắng and Vice Chairman of Ha Giang provincial People’s Committee Trần Đức Quý, and attended by representatives of the GCRA’s departments and provincial agencies tasked the state management on belief and religion from 25 provinces and cities of Vietnam North.
As reviewed at the conference, major religious events have taken place successfully in the 2nd quarter in the northern region, including the UN Vesak Day held from May 12-14 by the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Ha Nam province, the first annual meeting of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of VN, training workshops held by the Evangelical Church of VN (North), Easter celebrations; etc.
The conference also pointed out limitations and remaining issues, including the management of revenues in worshipping places; superstition activities; rising new worshipping and religious phenomena, such as “Duong Van Minh sect”, “Falun Gong”, “Almighty God Church”, “worshipping activities related President Ho Chi Minh”; as well as discrepancies in guiding the implementation of the Law on Belief and Religion and its guiding Decree 162; the indecisiveness in dealing religion-related issues and activities abusing religion and against to the state law.
Chairman Vũ Chiến Thắng speaks at the conference
Speaking at the event, Chairman Vũ Chiến Thắng highlighted the need for timely solving religious-related issues including granting land and land use right certificates to religious organizations.
He also emphasized a strengthened management on new religious phenomena and deviant worshipping practices in order to prevent negative impacts on the society.
Nguyên Hải
