The seminar held with the theme “Coordination for management, preservation and promotion of Buddhist cultural heritage” focused on four main following issues: Firstly, outlining the management system of tangible and intangible cultural aspects administered by the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism (MoCST), and worshipping and supporting facilities run by the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS); Secondly, raising discrepancies in the current management, preservation and promotion of Buddhist cultural heritage at Buddhist cultural heritage sites; Thirdly,  seeking solutions for overcoming existing problems and; Finally, to recommending activities of effective coordination for better management, preservation and promotion of Buddhist cultural heritage in 2017.

During the event, Buddhist layman Trần Đình Sơn, Vice Chairman of the VBS’s Committee on Cultural Affairs reflected many difficulties in the current administration of Buddhist pagodas classified as cultural relics. Many of these pagoda when seeking approval for restoration or upgrade of worshipping or supporting facilities often have to follow a lengthy and complicated process of administrative procedures, he added.

In addition, superstitious activities contrary to Buddhist values often take place at Buddhist pagodas classified as the cultural heritage, such as burning of joss paper offerings, sale of fortune telling books and fate telling. Therefore, it’s necessary for intervention of local authorities, especially the coordination between the VBS and the MoCST, in order to address these existing problems, said Vice Chairman Trần Đình Sơn.

On behalf of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, Senior Venerable Thích Đức Thiện emphasized that Buddhist places classified as cultural heritages have been run and accommodated by religious of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, and at the same time managed by the MoCST. Therefore, a strengthening coordination between the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s Central Executive Council and the ministry of culture for effective management, preservation and promotion of Buddhist and traditional values at these Buddhist heritage sites deems necessary.

In addition, several Buddhist dignitaries participating in the seminar also pointed that it has been very difficult for the head or the management board of pagodas classified as cultural heritages to administer each of the pagodas’ facilities ranked as belonging to the cultural heritage.

For the ministry of culture, representatives of the ministry’s Department of Cultural Heritage, Institute for Preservation of Relics and Inspectorate cited at the seminar spoke of contents and provisions specifying competence and responsibility of heads of pagodas classified a cultural heritages for each of the heritage’s facilities and intangible cultural values.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sport and Tourism Đặng Thị Bích Liên speaks at the seminar

 Addressing the event, while appreciating the organization of the seminar, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sport and Tourism Đặng Thị Bích Liên suggested that religious practices form important parts of the cultural life of people in the society, and practices and facilities of Buddhism and related to Buddhism make up a major component of Vietnamese culture.

The participating delegates at the seminar also discussed several specific contents and pilot programs of coordination between the Buddhist church and the culture ministry to be implemented in 2017./.

PTT (daidoanket.vn)