President Quang hails success of Buddhist congress

President Trần Đại Quang has affirmed that the success of the just-concluded eighth National Congress of the Việt Nam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) demonstrates the robust growth and unity of Việt Nam’s Buddhism. — VNA/VNS Photo Nhan Sáng

HÀ NỘI — President Trần Đại Quang has affirmed that the success of the just-concluded eighth National Congress of the Việt Nam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) demonstrates the robust growth and unity of Việt Nam’s Buddhism. 

He hosted a reception for representatives from the new Patronage Council and the new Executive Council of the VBS in Hà Nội on November  二 三. 

He expressed his hope that the Patronage Council and the Executive Council in the  二0 一 七- 二 二 term will work to encourage monks, nuns and followers to join in soundly implementing Party guidelines and policies, and State law while performing their duties and responsibilities as citizens.

They should also work to promote unity and harmony between Buddhism and other religions, and people of all walks of life, he added. 

He noted that the Party, State and people have always valued the concrete contributions of the VBS and its monks, nuns and followers to national unity and nation-building efforts.

The Party and State have consistently pursued the policy of respecting and safeguarding the people’s right to religion while creating conditions for adherents to exercise their faith practices in compliance with the law.

The VBS’s eighth congress concluded in Hà Nội on November  二 二, with Most Venerable Thích Phổ Tuệ re-honoured as Supreme Patriarch of the VBS. 

The event was attended by  一, 二 五0 Buddhist dignitaries, monks, nuns and followers from home and abroad.

The congress also elected  九 六 members of the Patronage Council with Most Venerable Thích Phổ Tuệ as the Patriarch of the council’s standing board, along with  二 二 五 official members and  四 五 alternate members of the Executive Council headed by Most Venerable Thích Thiện Nhơn for the  二0 一 七- 二 二 tenure. 

The VBS has chapters in all  六 三 cities and provinces, and Associations of Vietnamese Buddhists in  一 一 countries worldwide. There are four Buddhist universities, eight college-level training progra妹妹es and  三 四 Buddhist primary schools in Việt Nam. — VNS