Presidium of the Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics chairs the congress (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The eighth National Congress ofVietnamese Catholics to Build and Protect the Fatherland for the 2023-2028 term opened in Hanoi on October 12.
Speaking at the event, Priest Tran Xuan Manh, President ofthe Central Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics (CSVC), said that the congressaims to summarise the CSVC’s operations and national patriotic emulationmovements among Catholics in the 2018-2023 term; and set forth orientations,goals and tasks for the following tenure.
Priest Tran Xuan Manh, President of the Central Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics (Photo: VNA)
Manh said that along with the country’s comprehensiverenewal, the national patriotic emulation movement of the Catholic community hasdeveloped gradually, thus contributing to the nation's development.
Priest Nguyen Van Rien, Vice President and General Secretaryof the CSVC, presented a summary report, saying that over the past five years, thanks to the implementationof the movement, Catholics’ cultural and spiritual lives have improved, and thenation’s cultural identity has been preserved and promoted.
Policy beneficiaries and poor households have received dueattention from the State and the society, social welfare has been ensured, anddefence security and social order and safety maintained.
On this occasion, the Congress negotiated and appointed 148people to the CSVC Central Committee.
At the first conference, the CSVC Central Committee for the 2023-2028term negotiated to nominate 30 people to join the Presidium and nine to theStanding Board of the CSVC Central Committee.
Members of Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics (Photo: VNA)
Priest Tran Xuan Manh, President of the seventh-tenure CSVC,continued to be elected as President of the eighth-tenure CSVC.
President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central CommitteeDo Van Chien lauded the CSVC for its achievements as well as contributions tothe national great unity and the cause of national building and safeguarding.
The Vietnamese Party and State are always consistent inrespecting and protecting the right to freedom of belief and religion,identifying this as a legitimate need of the people, Chien said.
He also affirmed the importance of promoting culturalvalues, good ethics and resources of religions in building and developing thecountry; as well as paying attention to and creating conditions for people ofall religions, including Catholics, to carry out normal religious activitiesand actively participate in social activities to benefit the country andpeople, and contribute to building a strong, wealthy, prosperous and happycountry./.
President Vo Van Thuong visited the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Vietnam at its office in Ho Chi Minh City on August 7, the first by Thuong to the conference as the State President.
The upgrade of the relationship and the adoption of the Status of the Resident Papal Representative and the Office of the Resident Papal Representative in Vietnam reflect efforts, goodwill, and mutual respect between Vietnam and the Vatican, said Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Vu Chien Thang.
During his stay in China’s Guangzhou city from 1924 to 1927 to prepare for the establishment of a Communist Party to lead Vietnam’s revolution, President Ho Chi Minh founded “Thanh nien” newspaper and released its first issue on June 21, 1925.
Vietnam and Cambodia are hoped to strengthen their robust collaboration across various sectors, particularly in resolving remaining border issues to transform the border area into a zone of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development.
The strategic product, managed and operated by the agency’s centre for digital contents and communications (VNA Media), is an official channel for popularising the Party and State’s information and documents as well as delivering mainstream and trustworthy news to both domestic and international audiences through various kinds of multimedia formats.
Since President Ho Chi Minh founded Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper in 1925, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has become the voice of the people. During the resistance war against the colonialists, journalists took great personal risks to inspire patriotism and the will of rising up against foreign invaders.
The total investment exceeded 319 billion VND (12.2 million USD), including over 261 billion VND from the state budget and 57.5 billion VND mobilised from businesses, organisations, and individuals.
The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang is intensifying efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing as part of the country’s goal of having the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning lifted.
Throughout its 80-year history, the VNA has remained at the forefront of information dissemination. It has consistently delivered timely, accurate, and objective reports on both domestic and international events, serving the Party’s leadership, the State’s management, and the public’s demand for official news.
With strong support from local authorities, businesses, organisations, and residents, the province has successfully built or repaired 10,707 homes for disadvantaged households, including war veterans, families of martyrs, ethnic minority people, and low-income residents.
Throughout its resistance against colonialists and imperialists, Vietnam developed a revolutionary press that has served as a benchmark for just and legitimate causes worldwide.
Founded in 1842, the Vienna Philharmonic is regarded as a cultural ambassador of Austria, with prestigious conductors like Mahler and Karajan who shape its legacy. Its New Year’s Concert, broadcast to over 90 countries annually, stands as a global symbol of classical music excellence.
PM Chinh lauded the press’s historic role in the nation’s fight for independence and its ongoing process of national development, affirming that the Government always highly appreciates the close partnership and steadfast support of press agencies and journalists nationwide.
In recent decades, Vietnam’s mainstream media has become a reliable and persuasive channel for showcasing the nation’s development policies and achievements, especially in economic matters, according to a senior assistant editor at the Times of India.
A hub for sharing best practices, the event aims to forge solutions for financial sustainability, public media contracts, audience engagement, content innovation, and newsroom restructuring. It is also a moment for Vietnam’s media to accelerate its progress and figure out what the “revolutionary press” means in a new era.
From “Thanh nien”, Vietnam’s first revolutionary newspaper founded by Nguyen Ai Quoc (later President Ho Chi Minh) on June 21, 1925, the revolutionary press has remained devoted to its sacred missions -accompanying the nation, serving the Fatherland, and working for the people.
The official launch of Emirates’ Dubai–Da Nang route on June 2 has sparked a “tourism revolution” for Vietnam’s central coastal city. Da Nang is emerging as a top destination for high-end travelers, particularly from the lucrative Middle Eastern market.
Bernama CEO Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin said VNA has been a consistent and reliable partner in OANA, contributing actively to the regional media landscape through content sharing, coordination, and policy discussions. Their coverage of ASEAN and Indochina issues adds valuable perspectives. Bernama appreciates the collaboration with VNA.
In this era of global integration and digitalisation, the press must adopt modern multimedia models to not only meet increasing information and communication demands but also align with the broader socio-economic development of the country.
A master plan on implementation of recommendations accepted by Vietnam under the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) took effect on June 17.
Presidium of the Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics chairs the congress (Photo: VNA) 
Priest Tran Xuan Manh, President of the Central Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics (Photo: VNA) 
Members of Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics (Photo: VNA) 
