Vice Chairwoman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc haspledged that the capital will give more importance and continue itssupport to religious people.

The official made the remarkwhile receiving a delegation of the Evangelical Church of Vietnam(North) and the Hanoi Committee for Catholic Solidarity who came toextend New Year greetings to capital leaders.

Hanoi hasaccelerated movements among religious people over the past time, Ngocsaid, adding that the city has also prioritised economic development andbuilding cultural life in residential areas in remote, far-flung,ethnic and religious regions.

Thanks to such programmes, localpeople have enjoyed better spiritual and cultural lives with the numberof poor households dropping significantly, she noted.

PastorNguyen Huu Mac, head of the Evangelical Church of Vietnam (North), saidthe church has encouraged its followers to abide by guidelines andpolicies of the Party, State and the capital in particular.

Due to the timely support and encouragement of municipal authorities atall levels, the church has improved its operation, especially insocio-economic development and construction of cultural life inresidential houses.

The Pastor voiced his hope to receive more assistance from the municipal leaders in various areas.

Priest Duong Phu Oanh, Vice President of the Committee for Solidarityof Vietnamese Catholics and President of its Hanoi chapter, said thecommittee was awarded the Labour Order, third class, last year.

The honour has mirrored efforts made by Catholics to the country’sconstruction and defence as well as the support of municipal leaders andlocalities to the Catholic community, especially in poverty reductionand building new-style rural areas, he said.

On behalf of morethan 200,000 parishioners, Oanh pledged to continue accompanying thecapital on the path of development.-VNA