The committee will act on behalf of the Mormon Church and itsfollowers in Vietnam. It will comprise a head and two other members,each serving a two-year term.
Addressing thegranting ceremony on May 30 in Hanoi, which attracted theparticipation of the US Embassy representatives in Vietnam and manyleaders and followers of the Church, Deputy Minister of Interior andhead of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs Pham Dungcongratulated the Church and its followers.
Dungsaid he believes that the followers will continue to practice theirreligious activities in accordance with the law, while staying attachedwith their local communities.
He also expressed hopethat the Church will soon become the 38th religious organisation andthe 14 th recognised religion in Vietnam .
TheMormon Church was introduced in Vietnam in 1962. However, in 1975 itsuspended its operation in the country for 20 years. Since resuming itsactivities in 1995, it has gathered nearly 1,000 followers, mostly inHanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Established in theUS in the early 19th century, the Mormon Church now has nearly 16million followers in over 100 countries and territories.-VNA