Attending the event were Most Venerable President of the VBS’s Executive Council Thích Thiện Nhơn, Most Venerable Head of the VBS’s Executive Committee in the province Thích Quảng Hiển, representatives from the VBS’s executive committee in 11 Southern provinces and cities, and nearly 900 delegates representing monks, nuns and followers in the locality.

Distinguished guests at the congress included Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party’s Committee Nguyễn Thị Yến, Deputy Director of the Southern Religious Affairs Department under the Government Committee for Religious Affairs Trà Quang Thanh and representatives from other religious organizations in the province.

The congress focused on discussion of results of social, religious activities of the Buddhist Chapter in the province in the 5^th term (2012-2017) and outlined working plans for next term. The two-day event also elected 67 members to the new-term VBS Executive Committee in the province for 2017-2022 tenure with Most Venerable Thích Quảng Hiển reelected as the Committee Chairman.

According the conference report, Ba Ria-Vung Tau province currently is home to 300,000 followers with 3,893 monks and nuns, 430 Buddhist establishments and 96 practicing groups. During the past five years, Buddhist dignitaries and followers in the province contributed a total value of VND 302 billion to social and charitable activities.

On this occasion, local authorities presented certificates of merit to eight Buddhist groups and 10 individuals for their social and charitable contributions during the 2012-2017 term.

PH