Attending the conference were Mr. Dương Ngọc Tấn, Vice Chairman of GCRA; Mr. Lê Văn Tâm, Vice Chairman of Cần Thơ People’s Committee; representatives from State central agencies, the Southwest Steering Committee, Military Zone 9; leaders of the provincial Committees for Religious Affairs (Home Affairs Department) of provinces and cities having activities of Khmer Theravada Buddhism.

Mr. Dương Ngọc Tấn, Vice Chairman of GCRA and Mr. Lê Văn Tâm, Vice Chairman of Cần Thơ People’s Committee co-chair the conference.

Currently, Khmer Theravada Buddhism has about 1.5 million members (mainly ethnic Khmers), 454 temples located in 15 provinces and cities, (but concentrating mostly in nine provinces of Mekong Delta); nearly 10,000 monks (accounting for nearly 1/4 of the number of Buddhist monks nationwide).

Mr. Bùi Hữu Dược, Director of Buddhist affairs Department, GCRA speaks at the conference

According to a report of the GCRA, after 10 years implementing the guidance of the Prime Minister, the State management for Khmer Theravada Buddhism has created positive effects, thereby contributing to raise awareness and promote social, economic and cultural development of the Khmer people in the Mekong delta. Provision of seals to Khmer Theravada temples, print of books … helped monks and believers of Khmer Theravada Buddhism better understand the policies of the Party and State for Khmer people’ life and religious activities, contributing to promote patriotism, create the stability and development in the ethnic Khmer region.

At the conference, delegates proposed that the Government should have policies to train teachers in Pali language and grant the historic relic classification to temples having rendered meritorious services to the revolution, and the GCRA should collaborate with the Ministry of Education and Training in order to complete training programs, supporting facilities of the Khmer Theravada Buddhist Academy, aimed at attracting more Buddhist enrollees at the Academy in the coming time...

Mr. Dương Ngọc Tấn, Vice Chairman of GCRA speaks at the conference

Speaking at the conclusion, Mr. Dương Ngọc Tấn said the GCRA will continue to submit proposals to the Government for better guidance on the State management of Khmer Theravada Buddhism. He also requested local authorities to timely solve locally-emerging issues and petitions by Khmer Theravada Buddhism, to strengthen the administrative apparatus and staff working on religious affairs, especially the employment of those having specialized profession and understanding of customs of Khmer people…

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