Ho Chi Minh City leaders on February 9 paid a visit to the southernoffice of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Central Committee and themunicipal Buddhist Sangha on the occasion of the Lunar New Year (Tet)festival.

Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Le ThanhHai offered the best New Year wishes to Buddhist dignitaries, monks,nuns, and followers in the City and across the country.

Hehailed Buddhists’ positive contributions to the national socio-economicdevelopment in general and accomplishments of HCM City in particular.

He affirmed that the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s contributions torealising social welfare in the country and HCM City were important andexpressed hope for it to continue to join hands in taking care ofpeople’s well-being.

Most Venerable Thich Thien Nhon,Chairman of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Executive Council, thanked theauthorities for their attention to religious followers, affirming thatthe Sangha will stand side by side with the authorities and people toboost the country’s development.

In 2014, the Vietnam BuddhistSangha raised over 421 billion VND, with over 200 billion VND collectedby the municipal Sangha, for charitable activities nationwide.

Buddhism constitutes the largest religious community in Vietnam withover 12 million followers, 40,000 monks and nuns, and almost 15,000temples, monasteries and other places of worship.-VNA