Also present at the working session were Deputy Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs Y Thong, along with representatives from the Ministry’s Department of International Cooperation.

The delegation was received by Mr. Nguyen Anh Chuc, Vice Chairman of the Ninh Binh Provincial People’s Committee, along with leaders from relevant departments and agencies.

During the meeting, the provincial leadership provided an overview of ethnic, belief and religious life in Ninh Binh.

According to Mr. Chuc, ethnic minority communities in the province are mainly concentrated in southern localities. The Muong ethnic group accounts for the largest population, with nearly 30,000 people, alongside other groups such as Tay, Thai, Nung, Dao, as well as smaller communities including San Diu and M’Nong.

Ninh Binh also maintains a rich and vibrant system of folk beliefs, with more than 11,600 belief establishments across the province. Each year, around 300 festivals are held, many of which have been recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as part of the national intangible cultural heritage list. Notable examples include the Hoa Lu Festival, Tran Temple Festival, Tich Dien Festival and Phu Day Festival.

In terms of religion, three major religions are officially recognized and operate stably in the province: Buddhism, Catholicism and Protestantism.

Local authorities emphasized that ethnic, belief and religious affairs in Ninh Binh are diverse yet harmonious. Communities, belief institutions and religious organizations comply with Party guidelines and State policies, while actively participating in cultural, social, charitable and humanitarian activities. These efforts contribute to preserving cultural identity, strengthening social cohesion and supporting the province’s overall development.

Mr. Chuc expressed confidence that the visit would further strengthen the friendship, solidarity and effective cooperation between agencies and localities of Vietnam and the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Further strengthening the friendship and cooperation between the two countries 

For his part, Minister Chay Borin expressed appreciation for the warm reception extended by Ninh Binh’s leadership and congratulated the province on its recent development achievements. He noted that the visit holds significant importance in reinforcing cooperation in religious affairs between the two countries.

The minister also highlighted strong potential for collaboration in tourism, culture and religion, expressing hope that both sides would continue to enhance information exchange and jointly promote spiritual tourism destinations.

He emphasized that such efforts would contribute to deepening the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia in a more substantive, effective and sustainable manner.

As part of the visit, the delegation toured Tam Chuc Pagoda. They offered incense, visited the Tam The Hall, and later proceeded to the Ancestral Hall, where Most Venerable Thich Thanh Nhieu, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, abbot of Tam Chuc Pagoda, introduced the site’s history, scale and spiritual significance.

The delegation also planted commemorative trees at the ancient Ba Sao Pagoda.

Trong Tung