President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Do Van Chien on April 13 visited Mekong Delta Bac Lieu province’s Patriotic Clergy Solidarity Association on the occasion of the Chol Chnam Thmay, the traditional New Year Festival of Khmer ethnic people.

Chien expressed his delight at the improvements in the life of Khmer people in the province and extended best wishes to them.

He said he hopes that Khmer monks and people will continue to promote the tradition of solidarity and patriotism, join hands to successfully carry out socio-economic tasks, and build a prosperous homeland.

Most Venerable Huu Hinh, Standing Member of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, Chairman of the province’s Patriotic Clergy Solidarity Association, said that the association and pagodas regularly urge people to preserve and promote the traditional cultural identity of the ethnic group.

The association always calls on people to seriously implement the laws and policies of the Party, State, and Government, develop the family economy, and maintain peace in their residential areas, he said.

On the occasion, the VFF chairman presented gifts to the province’s Patriotic Clergy Solidarity Association and outstanding Khmer monks, families, and disadvantaged people.

Bac Lieu is home to nearly 17,000 Khmer households with 73,600 people, making up more than 7.6% of the local population./.