The 6^th Congress of the Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha in Da Nang for the 2022 - 2027 tenure opened in the city on Thursday with the participation of over 400 Buddhist dignitaries, monks and nuns, and invited guests, citywide.

The event saw the attendance of municipal People’s Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh.

Da Nang People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh (right) presenting a flower basket to congratulate the congress. Photo: T. HUY

In her opening speech delivered at the congress, municipal People’s Committee Vice Chairwoman Ngo Thi Kim Yen highly lauded the Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha in Da Nang for its remarkable achievements over the past tenure.

She added that during the pandemic-affected period, the Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha in Da Nang was active in encouraging Buddhist monks and nuns to strictly abide the city’s COVID-19 prevention and control measures, and joining the city’s efforts in the fight against the pandemic.

Mrs. Yen asked for support from people of all religions, including the Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha in Da Nang, to join efforts with the Party, government and people of the city to promote the local socio-economic development in the time to come.

Vice Chairwoman Yen hoped that the Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha in Da Nang would continue upholding its gained achievements and ensure a good secular and religious life.

Also, efforts should be made to encourage Buddhist monks, nuns and followers across the city to actively participate in local patriotic emulation movements, preserve national cultural identity, do social charity work, help poor people and policy families, and contribute to the city's social welfare programmes.

Da Nang People’s Committee Vice Chairwoman Ngo Thi Kim Yen

Mrs. Yen expressed her belief that the city's Buddhist followers would continue to preserve and promote their good tradition along the path of ‘Dharma - Nation – Socialism’, as well as join hands to build a beautiful, peaceful, civilised and modern Da Nang, and a peaceful and prosperous Viet Nam as a whole.

As reported at the congress, during the 2017-2022 tenure, the city's Executive Board of the Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha along with local Buddhist monks, nuns and followers, organised many important Buddhist events such as the United Nations Day of Vesak Celebrations 2019, and the 40^th founding anniversary of the Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha.

Besides, Buddhist dignitaries, monks, nuns and followers well responded to the campaigns launched by the Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha in the city and the  municipal Fatherland Front Committees at all levels. Included were the Fund ‘For the Poor’, providing in-kind and financial relief to people affected by natural disasters, and helping people in remote areas, ethnic minority groups, poor patients, single elderly people, orphans, single women and other vulnerable subjects.

In particular, they donated medical equipment and necessities to staff at quarantine checkpoints, and people living in blockaded areas inside and outside the city. The total cost of charity work during the last tenure was estimated at more than VND40 billion.

On the occasion, the Executive Board of the Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha for the 2017-2022 term received Certificate of Merits from the Chairman of the municipal People's Committee, and the Executive Board of the Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha Central Committee in recognition of their outstanding achievements during that period.

Reporting by T. HUY, T.PHUONG - Translating by M.DUNG