Vietnam gains achievements in ensuring religious freedom

VUFO President Phan Anh Son gives a brief on Vietnam’s development, religion-related policies and laws.

The head of the U.S.-based Institute for Global Engagement (IGE) made the assessment at the meeting with President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) Phan Anh Son on December 4 in Hanoi. He is leading an international delegation of Protestant pastors and two representatives of the IGE to visit Vietnam from December 1-6.

At the meeting, the VUFO President expressed his hope that with their experience gained during this visit, pastor Roberts and the delegation would help promote Vietnam’s image as a beautiful, hospitable country that respects diversity and belief, religious freedom to the U.S. government and people as well as other international friends.

Pastor Bob Roberts (first from right) and the delegation at the event

For his part, pastor Roberts underlined that religious freedom should be practiced with great efforts. He hoped that the visit would help the delegation learn more about the country’s religion-related policies and laws and exchange experience in religious practice models in Vietnam.

The visit of the international delegation of Protestant pastors to Vietnam is organized by the VUFO and IGE within their signed memorandum of understanding. It serves as a chance for international Protestant pastors to meet to exchange experience and learn more about culture, land, people and religious practices of the host country.

The host and guest in a group photo

The organization of such a visit is important to boost friendship among nations and religious organizations of Vietnam and other countries. It helps them eye-witness Vietnam’s development attainments and have more facts and objective information about religious situation and religious freedom safeguarding in Vietnam.

While in Vietnam, the delegation is scheduled to meet with and have working sessions with representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, and the Government Committee for Religious Affairs. They will also visit the Aquila Protestant group in Quoc Oai district, Hanoi and the Hanoi International Fellowship (HIF) on Ton That Thuyet street.

Translated by Mai Huong