Attending the conference were Most Venerable Thích Thiện Tánh, Vice President of the Central VBS Executive Council cum Standing Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh city VBS’s Executive Committee; Most Venerables Thích Tịnh Hạnh, Thích Như Tín and Thích Thiện Đức, Vice Chairmen of the city Buddhist Executive Committee; members of the city Buddhist Executive Committee’s Standing Board; representatives of the Buddhist Management Board of the city’s 24 districts; Abbots and Abbesses of Buddhist pagodas and monasteries in the city; and about 200 Buddhists in the locality.

According to the conference report, the city Committee for Buddhists’ Guidance during the very first year in its first term made offerings at the Vesak Festival, the Summer Retreat course and to the building of pagodas at an estimated value of 440 million VND. Regarding social and charitable activities, the committee presented scholarships to poor Buddhist students, supported Buddhist camping and summer courses for youth, and provided gifts to the poor on occasion of Vesak Festival, Buddhist Parents’ Day, Mid-autumn Feast and Traditional Tet festival … with a sum of over 600 million VND.

For activities by its sub-committees, there’re currently 260 practicing groups, such as meditation Asmara, Buddha recitation Asmara, Lotus Sutra Asmara … with regular attendance of over 42,000 Buddhists.

For key tasks in 2015 and the following years, the city committee for Buddhists’ guidance set to focus on raising effectiveness and efficiency in the implementation of Buddhist programs for the family and children & youth at pagodas in the city.   

 Presenting congratulatory flowers from City Committee for Religious Affairs

During the conference, Ho Chi Minh city VBS Executive Committee presented its certificate of merit to outstanding groups and individuals of the Committee for Buddhists’ Guidance for their excellent achievements in the committee’s affairs 2014./. 

Source: giacngo.vn