Lieutenant General Tran Hoai Trung, Party Secretary and Political Commissar of Military Region 7 chaired the meeting.

Attending the meeting were comrades in the Standing Committee of the Party Committee of Military Region 7; leaders of the Department of Civil Affairs, General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army; leaders of a number of departments and branches of provinces and cities in the military region and representatives of religious dignitaries.

Delegates attending the meeting.

Military Region 7 is an area with a particularly important strategic position in terms of politics, foreign affairs, national defense and security. This is also an area with many diverse types of beliefs and religions, intertwined, including 10 active religions, with nearly 10 million followers; over 20,000 dignitaries; nearly 52,000 officials; nearly 7,000 places of worship.

Meeting with religious dignitaries in Military Region 7 at the beginning of the Year of the Snake aims to strengthen the closeness, understanding and attachment between Military Region 7 and religious organizations; raise awareness and responsibility of officers and soldiers of the Military Region's armed forces and people in carrying out religious work, contributing to consolidating military-civilian solidarity, the great national unity bloc, building an increasingly solid "spiritual political potential" and "people's hearts and minds", contributing to maintaining political security and social order and safety in Military Region 7.

Comrade Nguyen Anh Chuc, Deputy Head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, presented flowers and congratulated the meeting.

In recent times, religious dignitaries, officials, and monks of religious organizations in Military Region 7 have actively encouraged followers and people to comply with the law and participate in patriotic emulation movements. Thereby, they have made positive contributions to building the great national unity bloc, contributing to the construction and development of the country.

Comrade Nguyen Anh Chuc, Deputy Head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, spoke at the meeting.

Comrade Nguyen Anh Chuc, Deputy Head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, said: "It is thanks to the prestige and shining example of religious dignitaries and officials that people trust and agree with the government, comply with the constitution and laws, actively fulfill their obligations to build and protect the Fatherland, and build a prosperous and happy life."

Lieutenant General Tran Hoai Trung, Party Secretary and Political Commissar of Military Region 7, spoke at the meeting.

At the meeting, Lieutenant General Tran Hoai Trung, Party Secretary and Political Commissar of Military Region 7, expressed his joy at meeting with representatives of prominent religious dignitaries in the area, and at the same time respected and appreciated the enthusiastic opinions expressed at the meeting. Lieutenant General Tran Hoai Trung hopes that religious dignitaries and officials will continue to actively propagate and mobilize followers to well implement the policies, guidelines, and laws of the Party and State; actively participate in building the great national unity bloc, solidarity between religions and the army and people; actively work in production, develop the economy, protect the environment... live a "good life, good religion"; continue to coordinate with the Military Region 7 to well implement the policy of caring for the people, do a good job of charity work, help people eliminate hunger, reduce poverty, eliminate backward customs, preserve national cultural identity, and gradually improve the material and spiritual life of the people.

News and photos: THAI PHUONG