Vietnam releases white book on religious policies

Hanoi, The Gulf Observer: A comprehensive white book exploring religion and religious policies in Vietnam was unveiled at a monthly conference hosted by the Authority of Foreign Information Service, a division of the Ministry of Information and Communication dedicated to providing foreign-related information in Hanoi on Thursday.

Titled “Religion in Vietnam”, the 132-page document is divided into three chapters. The publication offers valuable insights into the complex and diverse landscape of religious life in Vietnam.

It gives an overview of beliefs and religions in Vietnam and the history and development of each religion.

It also explains the Party’s line and state policies on beliefs and religions and the implementation of these policies, as well as Vietnam’s achievements, challenges and priority in ensuring religious policies.

The book’s appendix introduces some images and figures about religions in Vietnam and the list of religious organisations in the country.

Nguyen Tien Trong, deputy head of the Việt Nam Government Committee for Religious Affairs (GCRA), said that the Party and State always considered the right of belief and religious freedom as one of the basic rights of citizens and constantly improved the legal system on the issue.

As a result, the religious community in Vietnam has been consolidated and developed, strengthening the great national unity and making worthy contributions to the cause of building and protecting the country.

However, said Trong, Vietnam still faced difficulties and challenges.

With cooperation and agreement with other countries on human rights and ensuring religious freedom rights, the book aims at helping readers understand more and enough about religious policy and religious life in Vietnam.

Vietnam had 54 groups with different religions and more than 26.5 million religious followers, making up 27 per cent of the country’s total population.

There are more than 54,000 religious dignitaries, 135,000 religious workers, and 29,658 places of worship, along with thousands of concentrated religious groups, including groups of foreigners lawfully residing in Vietnam.