VGP – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc held a meeting with religious dignitaries who have contributed significantly to the cause of national construction and protection, in the central coastal city of Da Nang on August 9.

Photo: VGP

The event demonstrated the Party and State’s care for religion and affirmed Viet Nam’s policies respect the right to belief and religious freedom.

Addressing the event, the PM highlighted the significant contributions of over 26 million religious followers nationwide to the country’s common achievements, noting that regardless of differences in terms of their formation histories and characteristics, religions have their interests closely associated with the interests of the nation. 

For that fact, religious solidarity of religion, national harmony, and respect and assurance of people’s right to freedom of belief and religion and non-belief and non-religion are the basic guidelines of the Party and State on belief and religion, the leader affirmed.

Photo: VGP

On behalf of the Party and State, PM Phuc recognized and highly appreciated the huge contributions made by religious organizations to the cause of national socio-economic development.

He praised the nice cultural and moral values of religions in building a cultural and civilized lifestyle and promoting religious resources, thus contributing to enhancing the combined efforts in national construction and defense.

The PM expressed his wish to listen to the religious dignitaries’ whole-hearted ideas as well as their policy recommendations to the Party and State, especially in the implementation of policies and laws on belief and religion. 

There are many religions in Viet Nam, with 43 religious organizations recognized with more than 26 million followers and nearly 56,000 dignitaries. 

Religious organizations are running approximately 800 social facilities which are feeding over 12,000 orphans, children with disabilities, lonely older people, patients with mental illness, and HIV/AIDS patients, while receiving many groups of people in difficulties.

In the first half of 2019, religious organizations donated more than VND1 trillion (US$43 million) to the society.