2 senior Buddhist dignitaries have been awarded the Ho Chi Minh Order for their contributions to national construction and defense. Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan presented the distinction to Most Venerable Thich Tri Tinh, President of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, and Most Venerable Thich Minh Chau at a ceremony in HCM city on Wednesday. The Deputy Prime Minister extended his best wishes to Buddhist functionaries and followers nationwide: “I would like to wish the Vietnamese Buddhist community a New Year full of happiness and luck. May the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha achieve greater successes and contribute more to national development.”