Hanoi (VNA) – Hanoi launched on June 26 anenvironmental protection campaign that involves local religious followers, anactivity in response to the Action Month for the Environment 2019.

At the launching ceremony in Son Tay town, VicePresident of the municipal Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committee Nguyen ThiKim Dung called on religious dignitaries and followers to play an active partin environmental protection, climate change response and biodiversityconservation.

She suggested them join hands in creating a“green – clean – beautiful” environment by cleaning up the environment, sayingno to single-use plastic products, and turning off unnecessary electrical devices.

The VFF Committee said that over the last fouryears, many encouraging outcomes have been recorded in its cooperation withreligious organisations and the municipal Department of Natural Resources andEnvironment to protect the environment.

The Hanoi chapter of the Vietnam Buddhist Sanghahas encouraged followers to join in the work, disseminated the Party andState’s policies on environmental protection and climate change response, andpromoted “green” practices at pagodas, including limiting the burning of votivepapers.

Dignitaries of the Caodaism have called on allfollowers to plant trees, clean up the environment, stop burning votive papersduring worship rituals, and eat vegetarian food.

Meanwhile, the Church of Jesus Christ ofLatter-day Saints has organised many meetings to raise its followers’ awarenessof environmental protection and climate change response. It has also encouragedfollowers to take part in cleanups and charitable activities like providingdrought relief and building rainwater harvesting facilities in disadvantagedareas.

Dung asked local religious organisations topromote communications to improve public awareness and behaviours, increasecharitable activities, and mobilise material and spiritual support fromreligious dignitaries and followers for environmental protection and climatechange response activities.

She also asked them to step up monitoring theimplementation of relevant policies and laws and coordinate with localauthorities and residents in the work.-VNA