(VOVworld)- The Vietnamese Embassy in the US has held a discussion on religious freedom beginning a new cooperative model by non-governmental organizations to promote religious freedom. Speaking at the event on Thursday, Professor Do Quang Hung from Hanoi National University said religions in Vietnam have developed positively, with the number of religious followers increased from 20 million to 25 million people in 2 years. The number of recognized religions rose from 6 to 13 in 8 years. He said Vietnam has tried to make laws regarding religions in line with international practice while international laws shall prevail in case of conflict with domestic laws: “Vietnam will have a public policy on religions to build up a comprehensive state of law when it comes to religion. World experiences show that conflicts between religion and civil society and state cannot be addressed without a state of law on religion.”

Vietnam, US sign agreements at the dialogue

President of the Institute for Global Engagement, Chris Seiple, spoke highly of progress in religious freedom in Vietnam. His US non-governmental organization has been working in Vietnam to hold training workshops on state of law and religions in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City targeting judges, lawyers and government officials. He said the event marks a new step forward in Vietnam US cooperation in religious freedom: "The Vietnamese Embassy’s invitation of US non-governmental organizations to participate in religious freedom discussion is a positive signal. US representatives have listened to Vietnam’s views on religious freedom and our engagement models on the basis of mutual respect. American participants at this event were excited to listen to exchanges of views on the issue, which make the day a historical event.”

At the event, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and Brigham Young University signed a memorandum of understanding on comparative research on state of law and Vietnam US religious freedom.