Kuwait facilitates pilgrimage for Vietnamese Muslims

In the first project of its kind in Vietnam, the Kuwaiti Consulate has provided opportunities for a host of Vietnamese Muslims to go on Hajj this year, a gesture by Kuwait Awqaf Public Foundation, an official at the consulate told KUNA Sunday. Acting Charge d'Affaires in Ho Chi Minh Abderrazaq Al-Khalifa praised this gesture saying it speaks well of Kuwaitis' love of fellow Muslims around the world. He noted there is a great need for more such brotherly gestures. This project was appreciated and extremely well received by the religious authorities in Vietnam, as well as those allowed to go on pilgrimage. The pilgrims were selected from among names on initial lists of people meeting specific criteria through a raffle, the official said. Statistics show there are over 80,000 Muslims in Vietnam, the majority of them living in southern regions of the country. The Kuwaiti diplomat expressed hope there would be another such gesture in the future which accommodates a higher number of deserving Muslims in this brotherly country.