President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan (M) visits the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (Source: VNA) HCM City (VNA) – President of theVietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan on May 7 visited Buddhistdignitaries in Ho Chi Minh City on the occasion of Lord Buddha’s 2561st birthday.
Meeting with Most Venerable Thich ThienNhon, President of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) Executive Council, the VFFleader wished Buddhist dignitaries and followers a joyful holiday.
He lauded the VBS’s contributions to carryingon Buddha’s traditions and encouraging Buddhist followers to follow policiesand guidelines of the Party and State, especially patriotic movements and thoseon pre-school education, social welfare, environmental protection and climatechange response.
For his part, Nhon said as a member of theVFF, the VBS will take an active part in programmes and campaigns launched bythe front as well as other social activities.
Visiting Tinh do cu si Phat hoi (the PureLand Buddhist Home-Practice Association), Nhan affirmed that the Party, Stateand VFF will create the best possible conditions for religions, including theassociation, to practise their belief and contribute to national constructionand development.
Nguyen Phuong Hieu, head of theAssociation’s Central Executive Board, said the association has activelycontributed to social development, especially in public health care.
Vietnam is now home to more than 48,000Buddhist monks and nuns who are practicing the religion in over 17,000 Buddhistsites of worship with each receiving up to 1,000 followers annually.-VNA
