Vietnam, Indonesia Share Experiences in Handling Ethnic, Religious Issues

A delegation of the Central Theoretical Council led by its Vice Chairman, Associate Professor. Dr. Pham Van Linh visited the Indonesian capital of Jakarta on October 4-8, VOV reported.

At the working session between the delegation of the Central Theoretical Council led by its vice chairman, Associate Professor. Dr. Pham Van Linh and representatives from Indonesia's Lemhannas Institute. Photo: VOV

During the working visit, the delegation held a host of meetings and exchanged experience in resolving religious and ethnic issues with a number of leading agencies and research institutes in Indonesia.

At the working session held between the delegation and Indonesia's National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas Institute) on October 5, the two sides agreed that both countries share plenty of similarities in culture and have a history of fighting for national independence.

They also recalled the traditional friendly relations that exist between the two countries, ties which were originally and painstakingly nurtured by President Ho Chi Minh and President Sukarno.

Prof. Dr. Linh emphasized that having gone through a period of struggle for national independence and protection, the Vietnamese side understands the value of peace and always desires to maintain the country's stability for further development.

The delegation from Vietnam's Central Theory Council in a group photo with representatives of the Indonesian National Resilience Institute (Lemhanas). Photo: VNA

During this process, there are issues that must be further researched, such as ethnic and religious issues, he emphasized.

Briefly introducing the ethnic groups and religious belief of the nation, Prof. Dr. Linh affirmed that the Vietnamese Party and State always respects and implements policies that seek to ensure freedom of religious belief, exercises equality and solidarity between religions, while always paying attention to protecting and promoting national cultural identity and reinforcing great national unity.

For his part, Prof. Ikrar Nusa Bhakti of the Lemhannas Institute expressed his joy at the strong developments recorded in bilateral relations.

He expressed his desire to not only share Indonesian practices but also learn more from Vietnam regarding managing and solving ethnic and religious issues, as well as exchanging experience in national construction and development.

Vice chairman, Associate Professor. Dr. Pham Van Linh meets with ISSH President Ahmad Najib Burhani. Photo: VNA

At a working session held within the Indonesian Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities (ISSH) on October 6 under the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Prof. Dr. Linh said that Vietnam aims to become a developing country with a high middle-income by 2030 and a developed country with a high income by 2045.

Therefore, there is a high requirement for in-depth research across many fields in a bid to serve national development, he went on to say.

Assessing the scientific research between Vietnam and Indonesia as having many similarities and great opportunities for cooperation, Associate Professor, Ph.D. Pham Van Linh expressed his wish for the Indonesian side to share its operating mechanism, funding source, and mechanisms for selecting and ordering topics, especially those on urgent national issues.

The Vietnamese side also wants to learn about Indonesia's experience in solving ethnic-religious issues, eliminating inequality, and preserving and promoting the cultural identities of ethnic groups.

Agreeing with the proposal of the Vietnamese side, ISSH President Ahmad Najib Burhani said that in the coming time, there are many issues on which the two sides can cooperate with each other such as developing human values, boosting economic development, and ensuring national security, especially maritime security.

According to Ahmad Najib Burhani, the two sides can start collaborating on small projects or specific research issues before implementing larger research projects.

Linh expressed his hope that the two sides will have more meetings and exchanges at many different levels in Indonesia as well as in Vietnam in order to gradually step up bilateral scientific research cooperation in the time ahead.

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