Ms Doan said the Party and State always offer special care to disadvantaged children who do not have the good fortune to live with their parents but receive special love from the pagoda. She thanked the Buddhist Sangha and pagoda for their compassion and expressed her hope that the Buddhist Sangha will continue their humanitarian tradition of caring for children and old people.

Ms Doan asked the Hanoi authorities to support Bo De pagoda in further developing its centre for disadvantaged children.

Nun Dam Lan says the centre began operation in 1989. Despite limited space, the centre brought up more than 150 children, who now have stable jobs and their own families. Currently, it is caring for 105 children, including 50 new-born babies, as well as several old people.