Vesak 2019 demonstrates VN’s respect for freedom of religion: official
Vesak 2019 demonstrates VN’s respect for freedom of religion: Deputy PM
The successful organisation of the 16th United Nations Day of Vesak earlier this year helped demonstrate Vietnam’s respect for the freedom of belief and religion, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh said at a meeting on July 29.
A boat performance on Tam Chuc Lake in front of Tam Chuc Pagoda in Ha Nam province on July 14 to mark the conclusion of the UN Day of Vesak 2019 (Photo: VNA)
Ha Nam (VNA)🧜 – Thesuccessful organisation of the 16th United Nations Day of Vesak earlier thisyear helped demonstrate Vietnam’s respect for the freedom of belief andreligion, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh said at a meeting on July 29.
The meeting was held by the Government’s workinggroup and the People’s Committee of the northern province of Ha Nam to reviewthe organisation of the UN Day of Vesak 2019.
The UN Day of Vesak 2019 was hosted by theVietnam Buddhist Sangha at Tam Chuc Pagoda in Kim Bang district of Ha Nam fromMay 12 to 14. Themed “Buddhist Approach to Global Leadership and SharedResponsibilities for Sustainable Societies”, it brought together 1,650delegates from 112 countries and territories worldwide.
Deputy PM Binh said thanks to efforts by theVietnam Buddhist Sangha, the Xuan Truong company, along with the support of theParty and State’s leaders and relevant ministries, sectors and localities, thecountry created a memorable UN Day of Vesak, leaving a good impression onforeign friends and delegates to the event.
He stressed that the successful organisationonce again affirmed Vietnam’s support for the UN’s activities and the ethicalvalues of religions, including Buddhism.
With the Ha Nam Declaration, the event furtherhighlighted Vietnam’s consistent respect for the people’s freedom of belief andreligion and the favourable conditions created for religions to be practiced inline with legal regulations. It also showed the country’s wish to be a friendand trustworthy partner of international friends, as well as a responsiblemember that always supports activities initiated and organised by the UN.
Through the UN Day of Vesak 2019, foreignfriends gained an insight into the improvements in the religious life inVietnam and learned more about the country’s land and people, he added.
At the meeting, 12 collectives and 13individuals with outstanding achievements in the organisation of the UN Day ofVesak 2019 were presented with merit certificates by the chairperson of the HaNam People’s Committee.
The UN’s commemoration of Vesak has been heldthree times in Vietnam so far. Previously, it took place in Hanoi in 2008 andNinh Binh province in 2014.
The UN General Assembly on December 15, 1999recognised the Day of Vesak to celebrate the thrice-sacred event of the life ofthe Buddha Gautama (birth, enlightenment and death) and to acknowledge thecontributions that Buddhism, one of the oldest religions in the world, has madeto humanity.
The UN Day of Vesak was first celebrated in2001. -VNA
The 16th UN Day of Vesak 2019 wrapped up at Tam Chuc Pagoda in Kim Bang district, northern Ha Nam province, on May 14, with the adoption of the Ha Nam Declaration that promotes world peace, harmony, and improvements for all people.
The 2019 Ha Nam Declaration was issued at end of the 16th United Nations Day of Vesak at the Tam Chuc Convention Centre in the northern province of Ha Nam on May 14.
The Culture Department of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS)-Ho Chi Minh City chapter held a grand music festival on the night of May 16 to celebrate the United Nations Day of Vesak 2019 and Buddha’s 2563rd birth anniversary.
Huong, Tam Chuc and Bai Dinh pagodas are home to beautiful scenery and relics showing the development of Buddhism in Vietnam. They have formed a tourist route attracting pilgrims and visitors.
The VNA delegation, led by General Director Vu Viet Trang, actively participated in the event, engaging in both professional and diplomatic activities.
In the context where AI dominates and produces vast volumes of content, the only sustainable path forward for journalism is to focus on high-quality content and core values. Journalism must redefine its mission - not to report the fastest, but to provide the most profound and trustworthy value.
Granma and the VNA have great potential for cooperation, especially in sharing content regularly, so that VNA products are published on Granma platforms and vice versa, thereby helping Cuban and Vietnamese people access true information and gain a deep understanding of each other's country and people.
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 Vietnam News Agency Digital Media Centre (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.
A boat performance on Tam Chuc Lake in front of Tam Chuc Pagoda in Ha Nam province on July 14 to mark the conclusion of the UN Day of Vesak 2019 (Photo: VNA)
