Transforming Minds and Policies: The Quest for Religious Freedom in Vietnam

The Moynihan Institute and the East Asia Program present Hein Vu from the Institute for Global Engagement.

Vu will discuss the work of the Institute for Global Engagement in Vietnam over the past two decades, highlighting efforts to create a political and cultural context supportive of religious freedom by engaging government officials, religious leaders and academics in the country. Vietnam has long faced criticism by the U.S. government and INGOs for its religious freedom record. Vu argues that it is necessary to cultivate a persistent process to promote religious freedom within a strictly regulated environment by engaging government and civil society at the intersection of religion, law and politics. The successes of this process—grounded in a peace-building and interpersonal diplomacy—are measured by positive changes in the minds of stakeholders regarding the role of religion in society, improved policies to protect religious rights, and a greater openness to transparently addressing policy shortcomings. Education, encouragement and empowerment are essential components of this ongoing effort.

Ms. Hien Vu has more than 25 years of experience working in multinational and multicultural settings. She serves as the Vietnam program manager at the Institute for Global Engagement (IGE), focusing on religious freedom and human rights. Prior to joining IGE, Hien worked in the Voluntary Repatriation Program at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Hong Kong, on human resources and development with World Vision Vietnam, and for Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministries to assist the Vietnamese community and other Southeast Asian refugee populations in the city. She graduated from Fresno Pacific University with a master’s degree in peacemaking and conflict studies and Hanoi University with a bachelor’s degree in English.

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