HCM City (VNA) – National Assembly (NA) ChairwomanNguyen Thi Kim Ngan, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, visited andextended congratulations to some Buddhist establishments in Ho Chi Minh City onMay 27 ahead of Lord Buddha’s 2562nd birthday.

Visiting Chairman of the VBS’s Executive CouncilMost Venerable Thich Thien Nhon and Buddhist monks, nuns and followers atOffice II of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS), she hailed the enormouscontributions by Vietnamese Buddhists to national development throughouthistory.

The VBS has done a number of activitiesbenefiting the religion and life while encouraging Buddhists nationwide to havegood faith, adhere to the State’s law, fulfill citizens’ obligations, activelytake part in charitable work, and contribute to poverty reduction.

She affirmed that the Party and State alwaysrespect and ensure people’s right to freedom of belief and religion, care forthe socio-economic development of religious communities, and create favourableconditions for followers and dignitaries of different religious, includingBuddhism, to practice their religions authentically and fulfill the obligationsof a citizen.

Appreciating the Party and State leaders’attention, Most Venerable Thich Thien Nhon said the VBS has been complying withLord Buddha’s teachings to become a religion with humane values that isattached to humankind and generates good values for the life.

Over nearly two millennia, the VietnameseBuddhism has continually been standing by the country and become an integralpart of the nation’s history, he noted.

He pledged that the VBS will continueencouraging Buddhists to follow the State’s Constitution and law as well as theVBS’s policies and regulations, thus helping to develop the Vietnamese Buddhismsustainably and contributing to national development.

Also on May 27, NA Chairwoman Ngan visited theExecutive Council of the Giao hoi Tinh do cu sy Phat hoi Viet Nam (Vietnam PureLand Buddhist Association) Central Committee.

Talking to head of the association Nguyen PhuongHieu, dignitaries, followers and members of the organisation, she spoke highlyof their religious practices along with provision of free medical examinationsand medicine and care for disadvantaged people, which have helped to build amore altruistic society.

She applauded their efforts to join peoplenationwide to create great strides for Vietnam and improve the country’sstature in the international arena. She asked the Vietnam Pure Land BuddhistAssociation to continue charitable work to help with national development.

Nguyen Phuong Hieu said all dignitaries,followers and members of the association always trust the State’s guidelinesand policies on religions and beliefs. They have focused on their religiouspractices and strived to carry out charitable activities and develop theassociation.

The Executive Council will continue promotingtheir followers’ adherence to law and the organisation’s rules, along withcharitable work, thereby helping to bring peace and happiness to all people, headded.

On May 26, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binhalso visited and sent congratulations on Lord Buddha’s birthday to Buddhists atLam Son, Thien Minh and Bao Quoc pagodas in the central province of ThuaThien-Hue.-VNA