(VOVworld) – At the 26th session of the UN Human Rights Council being held in Geneva, Switzerland, Vietnam said it accepted recommendations at the session in February during Vietnam’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Second Cycle. Vietnam also informed the world of it’s achievements in ensuring human rights including freedom of belief and religion.
Religion and personal belief are respected in Vietnam and protected by the Constitution and law. The 2013 Constitution of Vietnam states that all people have the right to their own religion and belief. 95% of Vietnamese people are followers of some religions. There are approximately 25,000 places of worship in Vietnam and 45 religious schools. Religious activities including religious observances and missionary work are regulated by law. Each year, some 8,500 national and local religious festivals are held in Vietnam.
Freedom of religion and belief in the view of Catholics
A candle mass at Nam Dinh parish
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Dong Nai province in Vietnam’s southeastern region has 873,000 Catholics, the most of any province. Catholics comprise 34% of the province’s population. They have 558 priests serving in 12 deaneries and 259 parishes.
Local Catholics are free to practice their religion and contribute to humanitarian activities. Priests here say the local administration and non-Catholics allow the Catholics to practice their religion at anyplace and anytime. Priest Tran Ngoc Tuyen of the Hospitaller Order of St. John in Dong Nai province said: “Thong Nhat hospital is a private hospital of St. John of God order built in 1956. The hospital serves mainly Catholics who make up about 80% of the local population. Since 1979, the hospital has been managed by a lay administration but religious activities have been maintained. We and the patients pray every day. When a patient is seriously ill, the doctors ask the relatives to invite a priest to give unction. Catholic symbols can be seen in every department in the hospital.”
Freedom of religion and belief in the view of Buddhist followers
Monk Thich Gia Quang, Head of the Information and Communications Department of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, said Buddhist followers acknowledge that the Vietnamese state respects and guarantees people’s rights of religion and belief.
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| Vietnamese and foreign Buddhist followers attend 2014 Vesak Day in Ninh Binh |
The 2014 UN Vesak Day organized by the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha is vivid evidence of the freedom of religion and belief in Vietnam. Venerable Thich Nhat Tu, Deputy Secretary General of the 2014 Vesak Organizing Committee, said the Vietnamese government has made an effort to improve people’s lives and ensure human rights, including the right of religious freedom. Indian Buddhism researcher Hamid Kumasha told VOV when he attended Vesak Day in Vietnam: “It’s a good idea to organize Vesak Day in Ninh Binh, the land of Buddhism. I have more than 100 students who are Vietnamese Buddhist monks and followers and I know about Buddhist practice in Vietnam. Vietnamese are devout Buddhists. Vietnam is a communist country but Buddhist organizations, monks and nuns are free to practice their religion.”
Vietnam presented its Universal Periodic Review – First Cycle in 2009. Since then, Vietnam has recognized another 8 religious organizations, raising the total in Vietnam to 38 and the government has allowed religions to build or upgrade 3,000 worshipping centers. These facts led to Vietnam’s election to the UN Human Rights Council for the 2014-2016 term.