The Evangelical Church of Vietnam North (ECVN) on June 20 hosted a celebration of 100 years of Protestantism in Vietnam in Hanoi , drawing the participation of almost 3,500 domestic and foreign dignitaries and followers.

Ha Van Nui, Deputy Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee affirmed that since the establishment of ECVN 100 years ago with the motto of “Love nation, defend peace, do justice, humanity, freedom, equality and labour”, it had closely attached to the great national unity, striving to defend the homeland and fight for national independence with all the people.

ECVN also encouraged followers to participate in patriotic emulation movements, especially a campaign to build a cultural life in residential areas and the “Day for the Poor” campaign launched by the VFF, he said.

Nui underlined that the Vietnamese Party, State and Fatherland Front always highly valued active contributions of the Protestants and ECVN to the great national unity; concurrently taking care of lives of religious compatriots, including the Protestants, as well as consistently carrying out policies on respecting and ensuring religious freedom of the people.

He added that the promulgation and implementation of legal policies on religion and beliefs basically met the legitimate aspirations of followers and Protestants in particular, saying that the expansion of exchanges on religion, culture and social charity with regional and global partners contribute to raising Vietnam’s prestige and image to international friends.

He said he hoped the ECVN would make more active contributions to build an increasingly strong, great national unity as well as respond to patriotic emulation movements and campaigns launched by the VFF to promote democracy, build a socialist rule of law State of the people, by the people and for the people, raising the national spirit and civil responsibilities of each follower.

Pastor Phung Quang Huyen, ECVN Deputy Head said that Protestantism was introduced to Vietnam in the late 19 th century, however, its first foundation was based in the central city of Da Nang in 1911, which marks a milestone in the missionary history of Protestantism in Vietnam .

In 1958, ECVN was officially recognised by the Vietnamese State as a church organisation and a member of VFF, which operated in the guideline of “ Worship of God and Love of Nation”./.