VFF leaders meet with religious dignitaries

Religious dignitaries have urged the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) to make further efforts in their role linking the Party, State and people of Vietnam with religious organisations.  

VFF President Nguyen Thien Nhan and religious dignitaries
VFF President Nguyen Thien Nhan and religious dignitaries

Representatives from religious organisations made the request at a meeting with officials from the VFF and State agencies in Hanoi on September 4.

The religious dignitaries hailed the organisation of the meeting, the second of its kind to be held this year, as a meaningful initiative of VFF’s Central Committee.

They said more regular meetings between the VFF and religious dignitaries should be held for the VFF to learn of the religious community’s aspirations while updating the community on the latest Party and State policies as well as action plans of the VFF.

Participants voiced their feedback on the fifth draft on the Law on Belief and Religion, noting that the draft introduces several new points and some additional specific stipulations compared to the existing Ordinance on Belief and Religion.

The State of Vietnam has recognised 41 organisations of 14 religions, including Buddhism, Catholicism, Caodaism, Hoa Hao Buddhism, Vietnamese Pure Land Buddhism Association, Protestantism, Islamism, ‘Tu An Hieu Nghia’ sect (Four debts of gratitude), Baha’i sect, Buu Son Ky Huong, Minh Su sect, Minh Ly sect under the Three-Religion Temple, Brahmanism and Mac Mon sect.

The 14 religions have a total of 22.1 million followers, 80,000 dignitaries, 25,900 places of worship, 102 training facilities and 761 charity establishments.

An estimated 95 percent of the Vietnamese population is currently practicing a religion or a belief.

VFF President Nguyen Thien Nhan informed the religious dignitaries that the draft law will be submitted to the National Assembly for consideration in October this year, and confirmed that the VFF will report the dignitaries’ recommendations to the National Assembly.