Within the framework of a working trip to the United States, a delegation from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (VNU) led by Professor Nguyen Van Khanh (Rector) attended the Vietnam-US Dialogue Forum on Religious Freedom in Washington DC on June 19, 2013.
The forum was co-organized by the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, the Embassy of Vietnam in the United States, the Institute for Global Engagement, and Brigham Young University. The forum attracted the participation of many scholars and international guests, religious organizations, non-governmental organizations, domestic and foreign news agencies, and staff of the Embassy of Vietnam in the United States. Vietnamese Ambassador to the United States Nguyen Quoc Cuong attended and delivered an opening speech at the forum.
The delegates listened to and discussed two main reports on religion and religious freedom in Vietnam. In the report “Religion in Vietnam and State Policy on Religious Freedom”, Professor Do Quang Hung (University of Social Sciences and Humanities) highlighted the great changes in religious life and significant progress in institutionalizing freedom of religion and belief in Vietnam. His presentation focused on analyzing different aspects of the requirements and process of forming a public policy in the legal system on religion in Vietnam. This is considered one of the basic levers to promote the process of reforming religious policies to respond to the increase in religious organizations and the number of recognized followers. At the same time, the establishment of a public policy system on religion is also consistent with the guidelines and policies of the Party and State of Vietnam in addressing and resolving religious issues in Vietnam according to international practices and standards, while also being consistent with the characteristics and ensuring the fundamental principles of national interests and national culture. Professor Do Quang Hung especially emphasized the importance of building a public policy system on religion for the development of a comprehensive rule of law state on this issue. According to him, "international experience shows that it will be very difficult to resolve the difficulties in the relationship between religion, civil society and the state without the role of a rule of law state on religion".
Speaking at the forum, Rector Professor Nguyen Van Khanh highlighted the pioneering role of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities as one of Vietnam's leading academic centers in studying religious issues, promoting international cooperation and exchanging religious experiences with domestic and foreign scientific agencies. In the presence of many international guests, Professor Nguyen Van Khanh affirmed that the leaders and staff of the University always pay attention and support objective cooperation projects, with the goodwill of sincere and open dialogue on religion, towards the common goal of contributing to the economic, cultural, social development and international integration in general and the growth in training and research in social sciences and humanities of Vietnam in particular.
Within the framework of the forum, Professor Nguyen Van Khanh, representing the University, signed a memorandum of cooperation between the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Brigham Young University and the Institute for Global Engagement (USA) in the presence of the Vietnamese Ambassador to the United States. At the same time, Professor Do Quang Hung and the parties signed an appendix to the memorandum of understanding with the parties on comparative research on religion and the rule of law between Vietnam and the United States. Based on these documents, the parties expect to strengthen the cooperative relationship between the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and its US partners, especially on the issue of religious research in the coming time.