Unanimous for Dong Nai’s development

Over 60% of the total population of nearly 4.5 million people in Dong Nai province are religious followers. Therefore, the contributions of religious organizations, dignitaries, officials, clergypersons, and followers of various religions are indispensable in the province's implementation of emulation movements.

The Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Loc Thanh commune for the 2025-2030 term makes its debut and takes office, including members who are religious dignitaries. Photo: Hieu Thanh

Through meetings, propaganda and mobilization sessions, religious dignitaries, officials, clergypersons, and followers have all expressed their agreement with the province's key tasks and demonstrated their determination to participate together for the development of Dong Nai province.

Engaging in the common mission

More than 5 months after the country implemented the two-tier local government model, the new operational model of the Executive Board of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) of the province and the Provincial Committee for Catholic Solidarity (CCS) was also deployed, associated with the termination of the duties of the Executive Board of the VBS and the CCS at the district level; the Executive Board of the VBS of the province and the Provincial CCS were reorganized after Dong Nai province and Binh Phuoc province merged.

Most Venerable Thich Hue Khai, Head of the Executive Board of the VBS of Dong Nai province, said: Along with the arrangement of the local political system, Dong Nai Buddhism also actively built an operational model suitable for the two-tier local government. In recent months, the Executive Board of the VBS of Dong Nai province has maintained and fostered connections with local authorities in organizing religious activities and participating in local movements. In particular, regarding charitable work alone, from the beginning of 2024 until now, Dong Nai Buddhism has mobilized resources to carry out humanitarian aid activities totaling over 130 billion VND.

According to Priest Nguyen Minh Chanh, Vice Chairman of the Provincial Committee for Catholic Solidarity of Vietnam in Dong Nai, after the reorganization of the Provincial Committee for Catholic Solidarity of Vietnam in Dong Nai, the committee's personnel included priests, nuns, and typical parishioners representing various regions in Dong Nai province, formed after July 1, 2025. The Provincial Committee for Catholic Solidarity of Vietnam in Dong Nai is aware that this is a special journey, in the context of the Party and State building and consolidating a two-tier local government. This is a major reform policy, carrying many important and profound meanings, comprehensively impacting the political, socio-economic system and the lives of all strata of people, including Catholic compatriots. Along with the entire province, Catholic compatriots in Dong Nai have engaged in the movement of joining hands to build new-style rural areas, civilized urban areas, and other patriotic emulation movements with practical and specific contributions in both material and spiritual aspects.

According to Vo Van Lo, Head of the Representative Board of Hoa Hao Buddhism in Dong Nai province, along with the entire province, Hoa Hao Buddhist followers in the area actively and enthusiastically participate in movements and programs organized in residential areas to demonstrate their role and responsibility as citizens and religious followers for the overall development of the province. In addition, at times when people face difficult circumstances and receive connection and facilitation from local authorities, Hoa Hao Buddhism in Dong Nai province maintains assistance models in the community as well as social protection establishments to achieve the common goal of helping the poor and leaving no one behind.

Dong Nai is home to many state-recognized religions with over 2.5 million followers, including religions with a large number of followers nationwide such as Catholicism, Buddhism, Protestantism, Hoa Hao Buddhism, Caodaism, Islam, etc.

Trusting and contributing to the development of the homeland

To continue promoting the role of religious followers in the province's development, religious compatriots have quickly embarked on the tasks set by the province for the 2025-2030 term.

According to Priest Tran Xuan Thao, Vice Chairman of the Provincial Committee for Catholic Solidarity of Vietnam, the Chairman of the Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics in Dong Nai province, at the 1st Congress of the Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee for the 2025-2030 term, affirmed the following goals: developing economy with a double-digit growth target; preserving and promoting cultural identity, building civilized, friendly, and compassionate people of Dong Nai; continuously improving the quality of life for the people; protecting and restoring the ecological environment, actively adapting to climate change... The Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics in Dong Nai province agrees with and highly appreciates these contents, as these are also the aspirations of the people, including religious dignitaries, officials, clergypersons, and believers.

Priest Tran Xuan Thao further shared: "We always remind ourselves how religious followers participate in the general tasks of the province. In the 2025-2030 period, the Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics in the province will continue to encourage fellow citizens to live and work according to the Constitution and laws to become good citizens; enthusiastically respond to patriotic emulation movements and campaigns launched by the government and the Vietnam Fatherland Front at all levels; actively participate in the socialization of fields such as education, healthcare, charity, social protection, and environmental protection. At the same time, we will implement the establishment of grassroots Committees for Solidarity of Catholics and innovate operational content to ensure that the Patriotic Emulation Movement among Catholic compatriots develops sustainably...".

According to Venerable Thich Hue Khai, in the new context of the province, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha of Dong Nai province deeply understands its role and responsibility and commits to continuing to consider charity, social welfare, and environmental protection as key Buddhist affairs; actively mobilizing monks, nuns, and Buddhists to strictly abide by the State's policies and laws, living "a good life and a beautiful faith"; proactively and enthusiastically responding to patriotic emulation movements and campaigns launched by the Vietnam Fatherland Front committees at all levels.

In addition, in the first quarter of 2026, elections of deputies to the National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term will take place. According to Imam Do Ho Sen of Binh Son Mosque (Long Thanh commune), this is a major event for the country and Dong Nai province. Therefore, religious dignitaries will actively cooperate with the government to propagate and mobilize believers to exercise their civic rights through their votes. This aims to demonstrate the role and responsibility of religious followers in Dong Nai.

By Van Truyen-Translated by Mai Nga, Thu Ha