29.07.2010
The nation, the people and Buddhists of Vietnam, through many ups and downs of their history, are always of one mind, joining efforts for national construction and defence, and preserving peace, national independence and unification, said Thich Thien Nhon, the Most Venerable and Secretary General of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the Buddhist Week celebration for the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi and the programme ‘Overseas Vietnamese and National Culture Week toward the Capital’s Millennial Anniversary’ at the Hoang Thanh Thang Long (Royal Citadel) historical site in Hanoi yesterday, Most Venerable Thich Thien Nhon said Vietnamese Buddhists across the country were very proud to be children of the Dai Viet (Great Viet) nation with 4,000 years of history, 2,000 years of development of Vietnam Buddhism and the 1,000 years of Thang Long – Hanoi.
The event is an opportunity for Vietnamese people to show their respect for the national spirit and the age-old traditional culture of their ancestors as well as the role of Vietnamese Buddhists throughout the history.
The ceremony, which was jointly organised by the Central Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha, the Foreign Ministry and the Hanoi People’s Committee, was attended by several dignitaries, more than 100 overseas Vietnamese and thousands of Buddhist monks.
It was followed by an incense burning ceremony in memory of King Ly Thai To – the founder of the Thang Long Capital.
On the occasion, the Central Vietnam Buddhist Sangha presented 25 houses to poor families who rendered great service to the homeland and 500 scholarships worth VND 1 billion (US$5,500) to poor students from Hanoi.
Source: Nhan Dan
