To ensure a civilized, safe, and economical lifestyle in religious activities during the Tet holiday in Vietnam

To ensure a civilized, safe, and economical lifestyle in religious activities during the Tet holiday in Vietnam (Internet image) 

On this issue, LawNet would like to answer as follows:

On January 30, 2024, the Prime Minister issued Official Telegram 11/CD-TTg regarding the assurance of a civilized, safe, and economical way of practicing religious activities during the Tet holiday of the Year of the Dragon and the Spring Festival of 2024.

To ensure a civilized, safe, and economical lifestyle in religious activities during the Tet holiday in Vietnam

In order to ensure the organization of religious activities during the Tet holiday of the Year of the Horse and the Spring Festival of 2024 in accordance with the regulations of the law that are civilized, safe, healthy, economical, meaningful, and consistent with the cultural traditions of the nation, the Prime Minister requests the following:

- The Ministry of Home Affairs, in coordination with relevant ministries, departments, and localities:

+ Strengthen state management, enhance propaganda, mobilize, and guide religious organizations and places of worship to comply with the regulations of the law, organize religious activities that ensure security, order, safety, economy, and are consistent with civilized living and the cultural traditions and good customs of each locality.

Ensure safety in fire prevention and control at places of worship, especially temples; prevent superstitious, deviant, and social deviation activities; exploit spiritual activities for personal gain; and prevent the burning of votive papers and gold items in an excessive and wasteful manner or in places not designated for such activities at places of worship and religious establishments.

+ Continue to closely coordinate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism to guide the management and organization of religious festivals in accordance with the regulations of the law, ensuring security, order, safety, and economy that are consistent with civilized living, cultural traditions, customs, and good practices of the nation.

Prevent the exploitation of religious festivals for personal gain, the propagation of superstitious and deviant activities, and the violation of traditional culture, society, and security and order.

+ Take the lead, in coordination with the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, the Ministry of Public Security, and relevant ministries, departments, and localities, in 2024, in advising the Prime Minister to issue directives to strengthen state management of religious practices in order to promote healthy religious activities that comply with the regulations of the law, utilize resources in building and protecting the homeland, and take measures to address deviant, distorted, exploitative, and superstitious religious activities that affect traditional culture, security, order, and social safety.

- The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, in coordination with relevant ministries, departments, and localities:

+ Enhance propaganda and mobilization to raise awareness and responsibility of all levels, sectors, the people, and tourists in strictly adhering to the state regulations on organizing festivals; educate about the origins of festivals, relics, and revered figures; promote the true values and meanings of religious beliefs and traditional rituals; and prevent the burning of votive papers and gold items in an excessive and wasteful manner, ensuring safety, economy, and environmental protection.

+ Strengthen inspection, examination, and supervision before, during, and after the organization of festivals; promptly prevent and handle violations in festival activities, especially the exploitation of relics, festivals, and religious practices for personal gain; superstitious and deviant activities; and gambling; festivals must comply with the regulations of the law and should not be organized excessively, causing waste of time and money for the people, society, and the state.

- The Ministry of Information and Communications shall direct the media agencies and press, in coordination with relevant ministries, departments, and localities, to strengthen the organization of propaganda and dissemination of the law on religious beliefs and practices; guide the implementation of civilized and cultural living in places of worship, religious establishments, and festivals; promptly report on the organization of festival activities and religious cultural activities that are healthy and solemn; and condemn and combat vigorously the exploitation of religious beliefs, practices, and festivals for personal gain, as well as the propagation of superstitious and deviant activities.

- The Ministry of Public Security shall direct functional units, in coordination with relevant units and localities, to develop and implement plans to ensure security, order, and social safety, fire prevention and control, and prevention of social evils at places of worship, religious establishments, and festival locations.

Actively grasp the situation, fight against and prevent the timely detection and handling of complex incidents related to religion, and prevent the occurrence of "hotspots" affecting security, order, and social safety.

More details can be found in Official Telegram 11/CD-TTg, issued on January 30, 2024.

Nguyen Ngoc Que Anh

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