Government officials from Ho Chi Minh City met with 250 religiousdignitaries, worshippers and representatives of ethnic minority groupson April 19 in order to honour their contributions to the fight fornational independence and development.

The event was held ahead of the 40th anniversary of South Vietnam’s liberation and national reunification.

Reviewing the city’s achievements over the last four decades,Politburo member and Secretary of the municipal Party Committee, LeThanh Hai, hailed the work of ethnic minority people and religiousfollowers, especially their local social and humanitarian activities.

They have raised billions of dollars each year forscholarship funds, house building programmes and free medical check-upsand treatment for the underprivileged, he said. Many of them have beenrewarded as part of the national drive to “Study and follow latePresident Ho Chi Minh’s moral example”.

Haiexpressed his belief that now these outstanding individuals will step uptheir social, cultural and economic activities yet further in order toturn HCM City into the economic, financial, commercial and hi-tech hubof Vietnam and the Southeast Asian region.

Phu VanHan, who is an ethnic Cham, said the city has assisted his people ineliminating poverty and seeking education, while facilitating theircultural and religious activities. Many current members of the VietnamFatherland Front’s committees at different levels are Cham people.

Monk Danh Lung from the Khmer group also thanked the municipalauthorities for supporting their cultural and religious activities overthe past decades.-VNA