Vietnam implements well the policy of freedom of religion and belief.

This is the content shared by the International Protestant Pastors Delegation at working sessions with the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Government Committee for Religious Affairs.

On December 5 in Hanoi, within the framework of the visit to Vietnam, the delegation of international Protestant pastors led by Pastor Bob Roberts, President of the Institute for Global Engagement (IGE), USA, had a working session with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

View of the reception. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

Ms. Ho Huong Giang, Deputy Director of the Department of Americas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, informed the delegation about the important achievements in the Vietnam - US relationship in recent times, including cooperation activities in the field of human rights and religious freedom. Ms. Ho Huong Giang thanked the US partners for their support and positive contributions to Vietnam's national construction and development.

The pastors suggested that Vietnam should introduce and widely inform on media platforms about its achievements in various fields, especially in religious freedom and human rights, thereby enhancing international friends' understanding of the country and people of Vietnam.

On the same afternoon, the delegation had a working session with the Government Committee for Religious Affairs. At the meeting, Deputy Head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs Nguyen Tien Trong informed the delegation about the religious situation and religious policies of Vietnam.

View of the reception. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

Vietnam currently has about 27 million religious followers, accounting for about 30% of the country's population. As a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country, the Vietnamese State always respects and consistently implements policies to ensure freedom of religious belief, the right to follow or not to follow a religion of the people, and to practice equality and solidarity among religions.

The promulgation of the Law on Belief and Religion in 2016 is the concretization of Vietnam's consistent viewpoint and policy on respecting people's freedom of belief and religion.

The pastors in the delegation shared their positive feelings about the country, people, culture, changes, and positive development of Vietnam after their practical experiences here in the past days. The pastors said they would introduce the image of a beautiful, hospitable, diverse, and free Vietnam in terms of beliefs and religions to the US Government, people, and international friends.

Previously, on the afternoon of December 4, the delegation visited and worked at the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics.

View of the reception. (Photo: Thu Phuong)

Receiving and working with the delegation, Associate Professor Dr. Hoang Van Nghia, Director of the Department of International Cooperation, Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, introduced the position, role and contributions of the Academy in training and fostering at all levels in the Vietnamese political system, and highly appreciated the cooperation results achieved between IGE and the Institute of Religion and Belief under the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics in the field of religion and rule of law over the past six years.

Pastor Bob Roberts proposed that the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and IGE further strengthen cooperation in the coming time, especially in coordinating the organization of international conferences, seminars, and training on religion and the rule of law in 2025 to provide more information about Vietnam's religious life, beliefs, policies, and laws to friends around the world.

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/viet-nam-thuc-hien-tot-chinh-sach-tu-do-ton-giao-tin-nguong-208193.html