The event was co-chaired by Chairman of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs (GCRA) Vũ Chiến Thắng and Vice Chairman of Quang Ngai provincial People’s Committee Võ Phiên, and attended by representatives of the GCRA’s departments and officials in charge of the state administration on religion from provinces and cities of Vietnam Central.

As reported at the event, the Vietnam central region is currently home to 5.5 million religious followers of ten religions (Catholicism, Buddhism, Protestantism, Caodaism, Islam, Baha’i, Brahmanism, and other endogenous religious sects)

The conference reviewed the state governance on belief and religion in the central region for the last three months, and pointed out remaining issues and limitations which included slow response and handlings of violations of laws on belief and religion and deviant worshipping activities.

Chairman Vũ Chiến Thắng speaks at the conference

The conference participants also discussed issues relating the implementation of the Law on Belief and Religion 2016 and its Decree 162, and exchanged on experiences in handling cases of dispute concerning religion-related land in localities in last three months.

Addressing the conference, Chairman of the government religious committee Vũ Chiến Thắng requested the provincial agencies on the state administration of religion to step up the dissemination and consistent implementation of the Law on Belief and Religion 2016 and its guiding Decree 162, and facilitate the national congress and important religious events of religious organizations. He also called for a close collaboration between the provincial religious agency and concerning provincial authorities in the state administration on belief and religion in the central provinces and cities.

Vice Chairman of Quang Ngai provincial People’s Committee Võ Phiên at the conference.

PTT