A delegation from the World Council of Churches (WCC) headed by its vice chairman Lymouris Nikolaos met with representatives of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) in Hanoi on October 26.

During the meeting, VUFO’s vice president Tran Dac Loi welcomed the Vietnam visit by the WCC after many years, considering WCC a long-standing friend who provided Vietnamese people with both physical and spiritual supports in the past.

He briefed his guest on achievements Vietnam has recorded recently and expressed his belief that the WCC would continue its assistance for Vietnam , especially in areas regarding social welfare, hunger elimination and poverty reduction, and assisting victims of Agent Orange/dioxin.

Loi also extended his wishes that with its role and prestige, the WCC would serve as a bridge to further boost cooperative relations between the council’s member organisations with the VUFO.

For his part, WCC vice chairman Lymouris Nikolaos said he was pleased to visit Vietnam in the context where the country was celebrating major events. He spoke highly of Vietnam ’s achievements over the past 35 years as well as those recorded in the country’s current process of integration.

In the past, WCC and its member churches launched numerous activities in support for Vietnam , including conducting financial campaigns to protest wars in Vietnam and providing goods as relief aid to the country, he said.

Lymouris Nikolaos added that the fine relations would prosper in the future through people-to-people exchanges and the support of international non-government organisations, plus the important role of the VUFO.

Established in August, 1948, Dutch-based WCC is a worldwide fellowship of 349 churches in over 110 countries and territories. It aims to seek unity, a common witness and Christian services./.