Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) May 5, 2007

“IGE is practicing a new paradigm in advocating for religious freedom. . . . Its work in Vietnam may be the most significant example of how the U.S. and global evangelicals can better expand religious freedom in repressive states.” (From “A New Day in Vietnam,” Christianity Today, May 2007.)

Less than three years ago, Vietnam was put on the U.S. State Department’s religious freedom blacklist for egregious violations of human rights. In the last six months, however, Vietnam led Southeast Asia in its first dialogue on religion and rule of law; was removed from the religious freedom blacklist; gained normalized trade relations with the U.S.; hosted President Bush and the APEC summit; and acceded to the WTO. Why the turnaround?

The Institute for Global Engagement (IGE) has been working quietly with government officials and faith communities in Vietnam for the past five years to promote sustainable religious freedom. As a result of this ongoing engagement, the State Department credited Vietnam with “significant progress” toward improving religious freedom, and Vietnam is becoming a regional leader on religious freedom dialogue through a conference series on “Religion and Rule of Law in Southeast Asia,” initiated and co-sponsored by IGE.

Because of IGE’s unique strategy and tangible successes, Christianity Today featured IGE in its May cover story. The article comes at a critical time. This week, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (an independent, bipartisan watchdog appointed by Congress) recommended that Vietnam be returned to the religious freedom blacklist for recent arrests of political dissidents, some of whom were religious leaders. Vietnam will require sustained insider advocacy to make further progress in its complex religious freedom issues under heightened global scrutiny.

IGE will continue its advocacy through fulfilling an agreement it signed in September 2006 with the Vietnam-USA Society to promote religious freedom in Vietnam together. The agreement includes: exchanges of analysis on religious discrimination reports; constructive dialogue between governmental and religious representatives; stimulating faith-based socioeconomic development; and holding annual regional conferences on religion and rule of law. Already, IGE is witnessing steps of progress toward the goals of this historic agreement, and its next conference will take place from 2-4 November 2007.

For more information:

“A New Day in Vietnam”: Christianity Today cover story on IGE’s efforts in Vietnam.

Relational Diplomacy at Work: IGE in Vietnam: A collection of resources on IGE’s work in Vietnam.

###