Contributing to maintaining peace in the neighborhood.

Through the joint efforts of religious leaders, officials, and followers, many self-governing models for security and order have been formed and effectively maintained, contributing to keeping villages and hamlets peaceful and creating a favorable environment for local socio-economic development.

Venerable Chau Ben (center) - Abbot of Xa Xia Pagoda, Ha Tien Ward, exchanges information on the security and order situation with representatives of the functional forces and local authorities. Photo: DANH THANH

Maintain peace at the border.

In the nationwide movement to protect national security, many religious leaders have become active operatives in mobilizing their followers to participate in maintaining peace and security in their villages and hamlets. A prime example is Venerable Chau Ben, the abbot of Xa Xia Pagoda in Ha Tien ward. With the motto of living a good life and upholding moral values, for nearly 30 years, Venerable Chau Ben has consistently set a good example and actively cooperated with local authorities to propagate and encourage Buddhist followers and the people to comply with the Party's guidelines and the State's policies and laws. In the border area, the Venerable always focuses on raising people's awareness of protecting the border and boundary markers. Mr. Chau Khol, a resident of Xa Xia neighborhood, said: "Local people have great faith in what Venerable Chau Ben preaches. Thanks to him, the security and order in the border area are always stable, and people can work and live in peace."

Thanks to his prestige in the community, Venerable Chau Ben regularly interacts with and listens to the concerns of the people, promptly disseminating information and mobilizing them to effectively implement local movements. In his lectures, the Venerable incorporates content encouraging Buddhists to abide by the law, actively participate in labor and production, build cultured families, and contribute to maintaining security and order. In 2025, Venerable Chau Ben organized nearly 40 awareness sessions with over 1,000 participants, contributing to building increasingly peaceful and prosperous villages. “As a monk, I always want to encourage Buddhists to live virtuous lives, abide by the law, and work together to maintain security and order in the locality,” Venerable Chau Ben shared.

Mr. Duong Van Thuan, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Head of the Religious Affairs Steering Committee of Ha Tien Ward, said that the ward currently has 6 religious organizations and 20 religious establishments, with 18 religious dignitaries, 63 monks and nuns, and 174 religious officials; nearly 10,000 followers participate in religious activities. In recent times, religious dignitaries, officials, and followers have actively responded to patriotic emulation movements, campaigns, and charitable and humanitarian activities launched by the local authorities. “Religious organizations regularly encourage their followers to abide by the law, participate in reporting crimes, and contribute to maintaining security and order in residential areas; they also play a role in building cultural life, maintaining political security and social order and safety in the ward,” Mr. Duong Van Thuan said.

Working together to build a better social life.

An Giang currently has 14 religions recognized by the State, with over 2.2 million followers, accounting for approximately 46% of the province's population. In many localities within the province, models of ethnic and religious groups participating in maintaining security and order have been implemented and effectively promoted. Thanks to the joint efforts of religious communities, many incidents arising at the grassroots level have been resolved promptly, and security and order have been maintained.

Not only actively participating in maintaining security and order, people of various religions in the province have also made many practical contributions to social welfare. Many charitable models have been effectively maintained, such as charitable ambulance services, free traditional medicine clinics, and free kitchens, contributing to supporting the poor and those in difficult circumstances. Religious organizations also actively respond to the movement to protect the environment and build a civilized life in the locality. “By 2025, the grassroots management boards, officials, and followers of the Hoa Hao Buddhist Church will mobilize resources to build bridges, roads, support poor households, construct charitable houses, and provide free medical examinations and treatment… with a total amount of over 650 billion VND, with over 190 billion VND specifically in An Giang,” said Mr. Nguyen Tan Dat, Head of the Central Management Board of the Hoa Hao Buddhist Church.

According to Ms. Ha Minh Trang, Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of An Giang province, An Giang has many religions and ethnic groups living together. These religions and ethnic groups have always had a tradition of solidarity, close ties, and companionship throughout the province's development. "In recent years, people of all religions in the province have actively responded to and effectively participated in patriotic emulation movements and campaigns launched by the Party, the State, and the Fatherland Front, contributing to maintaining political stability, developing the economy and society, ensuring national defense and security, and building an increasingly strong national unity," Ms. Ha Minh Trang shared.

RENOWNED CITY

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/gop-suc-giu-binh-yen-xom-ap-a479345.html