Prime Minister: Create conditions for religious people to practice properly

The Khmer Theravada Buddhist Academy in Can Tho City was established in 2006 and is one of four academies under the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha. To date, the Academy has trained five courses. This is the first Buddhist bachelor training facility for the Khmer Theravada sect established in Vietnam, creating an important premise to achieve the goal of improving people's knowledge, training human resources, nurturing talents, and meeting the aspirations of monks and Khmer people in the Southern region.

Most Venerable Dao Nhu, Vice President of the Central Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, President of the Khmer Theravada Buddhist Academy, said that in 2017, the People's Committee of Can Tho City allocated clean land to build the Academy. With the support of the Government, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, local authorities and philanthropists, the Academy has built a spacious facility, making an important contribution to expanding and improving the quality of training.

Knowing that there are currently about 1.3 million Khmer people, and their lives are still difficult, Venerable Dao Nhu hopes that the Party and the State will continue to create more favorable conditions for the people in all aspects. Along with that, support and create conditions for the Academy to expand training on a larger scale instead of 140 monks/course as at present; create conditions to support the Khmer people to continue to preserve and promote their traditional culture.

Speaking to a large number of religious dignitaries, Buddhists, and male students at the Academy, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, respectfully sent his warm regards and best wishes for the New Year.

The Prime Minister affirmed that over the past years, despite the country's many difficulties, the Party and State have always paid special attention to ethnic minorities. As a result, the socio-economic development of ethnic minority areas has been comprehensive; the material and spiritual life of people in all regions of the country has been increasingly improved; and the great national unity bloc has been consolidated and strengthened.

With the attention, investment and support of the Party and the State, the Khmer people and Khmer Theravada Buddhist monks continue to promote their fine traditions, strive harder in the cause of socio-economic development, sustainable poverty reduction; preserve and promote national cultural identity; join hands and unite in the great national unity bloc; together with the army and people of the whole country to build a strong and prosperous Vietnam.

“Our Party and State always respect and ensure the people's freedom of belief and religion, ensure religious activities in accordance with the law, constantly care for socio-economic development, create conditions for religious people and religious dignitaries, including Buddhism, to properly practice their religion and fulfill their duties as citizens to the country,” the Prime Minister stated.

The Prime Minister believes that in his position, Most Venerable Dao Nhu and the leadership of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha will continue to direct the effective implementation of the key tasks in the new term that the Sangha has set out, while guiding monks, nuns, and Buddhist followers to continue to practice the motto of Dharma - Nation - Socialism, contributing to the cause of national construction and defense.

Taking note of the Academy’s recommendations, the Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Education and Training to consider and respond to the Academy’s recommendations on expanding the scale of training with appropriate steps, on the basis of ensuring training quality. Can Tho City creates favorable conditions for the Academy to operate effectively.

The Prime Minister said that the Government, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, the Can Tho City government, and philanthropists' support to build the Academy on a larger and more spacious scale demonstrates the Party, the State, and the whole society's concern for Khmer Theravada Buddhism in particular and the Khmer people in general.

On the occasion of the traditional Chol Chnam Thmay New Year, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc visited, presented gifts and wished a happy new year to a number of typical Khmer families in Can Tho.

Duc Tuan