Hanoi (VNA) – President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) Phan Anh Son received an international delegation of Protestant pastors and two representatives of the US-based Institute for Global Engagement (IGE), in Hanoi on December 4.
The delegation, led by IGE President Bob Roberts, is paying a visit to Vietnam from December 1 to 6. The trip is part of a joint initiative between VUFO and IGE under their signed memorandum of understanding as well as of an annual programme that brings together international Protestant pastors to different nations.
At the meeting, Son expressed his hope that with their experiences in Vietnam, Pastor Roberts and the delegation would help promote the country’s image as a vibrant, hospitable nation that respects diversity and religious freedom to the US government and people and to international friends.
For his part, Roberts commended the country’s ongoing efforts to ensure religious freedom. Vietnam has obtained remarkable achievements in various sectors, including its strides in safeguarding religious rights and continuously improving its legal system on religion and belief.
He expected that the visit to help the delegation learn about the Southeast Asian nation’s religion-related policies and laws, and exchange knowledge and experience regarding its religious practices.
While in Hanoi, the delegation is scheduled to meet with representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, and the Government Committee for Religious Affairs. They are also set to visit the Aquila Protestant group in Quoc Oai district and the Hanoi International Fellowship (HIF) on Ton That Thuyet street./.
