Vũ Hoài Bắc, head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs under the Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs, speaks at a conference reviewing ethnic and religious affairs in 2025 and outlining tasks for 2026 held in HCM City on January 5. — VNA/VNS Photos Xuân Khu

HCM CITY — Ethnic and religious affairs in HCM City made positive progress in 2025, contributing significantly to political stability, social order and public safety, according to the city’s Department of Ethnic and Religious Affairs.

The assessment was highlighted at a conference reviewing ethnic and religious affairs in 2025 and outlining tasks for 2026, held on January 5.

The department reported that ethnic minority communities, religious organisations and belief establishments across the city continued to comply strictly with the Party’s guidelines and the State’s laws and policies, while actively taking part in movements and activities launched by the city and local authorities.

Awareness and vigilance among ethnic minority groups and religious followers have also improved, particularly in response to attempts by hostile forces to exploit ethnic and religious issues to undermine national unity and social stability.

Speaking at the conference, Vũ Hoài Bắc, head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, praised HCM City's achievements, highlighting the successful organisation of the United Nations Day of Vesak 2025, which was held in the city for the first time.

The event took place shortly after activities marking the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification (April 30, 2025), and generated strong positive impacts while attracting wide international attention.

Other major religious events were also organised safely and smoothly in 2025, including the 100th anniversary of Caodaism, the 100th anniversary of Protestantism’s presence in the city, and the 7th Congress of the Islamic community, which officially adopted the name Islamic Community of HCM City.

The city is currently home to 53 ethnic minority groups, including 43 groups with permanent residents, totalling more than 590,000 people.

It also has over four million religious followers, the highest number nationwide.

It recognises 13 religions with 33 State-recognised religious organisations, nearly 3,000 religious establishments and 1,692 belief facilities.

Representatives of HCM City’s Department of Ethnic and Religious Affairs and the municipal Party Committee’s Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilisation on January 5 sign a coordination programme for the 2025-30 period to enhance cooperation in ethnic and religious affairs.

Trần Văn Bảy, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, said that as a major religious centre, the city must ensure all policies and actions are practical and grounded in sincerity towards ethnic minority communities and religious followers.

“Administrative restructuring and the merger of ethnic and religious affairs have posed challenges at the grassroots level, particularly as many experienced officials have been transferred or retired,” he said.

He called on the HCM City Department of Ethnic and Religious Affairs to coordinate with the Department of Home Affairs to strengthen staffing, especially at the grassroots level, and to enhance practical training programmes.

In 2025, the Department of Ethnic and Religious Affairs actively advised city authorities, contributing to the issuance of three important resolutions on ethnic and religious policies by the municipal People’s Council.

The city also effectively implemented social welfare policies, providing support for ethnic minority communities and religious followers during major holidays and traditional festivals, with total funding amounting to tens of billions of đồng.

Notably, the National Target Programme on socio-economic development for ethnic minority areas in the former Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province completed 99.31 per cent of its planned workload, with a disbursement rate of 97.58 per cent from a total budget of more than VNĐ114 billion (US$ 4.4 million).

At the conference, the organising committee presented first-class and third-class Labour Orders and Prime Minister’s certificates of merit to individuals with outstanding contributions, along with commendations for 33 collectives.

The Department of Ethnic and Religious Affairs also signed a coordination programme for the 2025-30 period with the municipal Party Committee’s Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilisation.

The programme aims to improve research, policy advice and the implementation of ethnic and religious affairs, contributing to political stability, social order and sustainable development in the city. — VNS