Closing of the 20th United Nations Vesak Celebration in 2025

Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen attended the closing ceremony of Vesak 2025. *Photo: TTBC*

Attending the Closing Ceremony were Politburo members: Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen; leaders of central ministries, branches, Ho Chi Minh City and some localities; representatives of leaders of some countries, territories and international guests.

Most Venerable Thich Thien Nhon, Vice Patriarch, President of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, President of the National Organizing Committee for the 2025 United Nations Day of Vesak; Most Venerable Professor, Dr. Brahmapundit, President of the International Organizing Committee for the United Nations Day of Vesak (ICDV), along with the Sangha Kings, Presidents, and leaders of world and Vietnamese Buddhism attended the closing ceremony.

Leaders of the Party, State and Vietnam Buddhist Sangha attended the closing ceremony. *Photo: TTBC*

At the closing ceremony, Politburo member and Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh emphasized: This year's Vesak was held in a very solemn and dignified manner, as an international religious and cultural event of great scale and stature, and was a great success. The 2025 United Nations Vesak in Ho Chi Minh City is a clear mark, showing the increasingly enhanced role of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in the international Buddhist community and in enhancing dialogue on global issues, preventing conflicts, promoting social justice and sustainable development.

The Vietnamese Government leaders affirmed that Vietnam always implements a consistent policy of respecting and protecting people's freedom of belief and religion; ensuring equality and non-discrimination on the basis of belief and religion. Under the leadership of the Party and State of Vietnam, over the years, religious followers have always been united, attached, and actively participated in the cause of national construction and development, contributing significantly to socio-economic development, ensuring social security, humanitarian charity, and together with the State taking care of the poor and disadvantaged, leaving no one behind.

Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh speaks at the closing ceremony. *Photo: Thanh Van*

The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the success of the Great Ceremony is a strong testament, affirming many humanistic values and great achievements of the country and people of Vietnam, affirming the cultural tradition of harmony, compassion, kindness, and love of peace of the Vietnamese people; affirming the correct policy of freedom of belief and religion of the Party and its effective implementation in reality; affirming the clear results in caring for and improving the material and spiritual life of the people, demonstrated by the participation of millions of people in the events of the Great Ceremony with a joyful, confident, sacred and orderly spirit; affirming the international position, prestige and proactive responsibility of Vietnam in participating in solving global issues.

Expressing deep gratitude to the Vietnamese Government and the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha for their important contributions to the success of the 2025 United Nations Day of Vesak, Most Venerable Professor, Dr. Brahmapundit, Chairman of the International Organizing Committee of the United Nations Day of Vesak, emphasized that the success of the 2025 Day of Vesak as well as the opinions at the Workshop in the program of the Day have affirmed that Vietnam is a dynamic center and plays an important role in engaged Buddhism.

Photo caption — Most Venerable Professor, Dr. Phra Brahmapundit, Chairman of the International Organizing Committee of the United Nations Day of Vesak, speaks at the closing ceremony. *Photo: Thanh Vu/VNA*

The Venerable Professor, Dr. Brahmapundit said that the themes of the 2025 Vesak Celebration have affirmed the compatibility of Buddhist teachings and spirits with the current issues and challenges of the world. The Ho Chi Minh City Declaration of the Vesak Celebration will be a motto for action, demonstrating the common commitment of world Buddhism to human dignity, ethics, justice and social sustainability, in which the commitment to solidarity, tolerance, compassion and wisdom is the foundation for sustainable development; affirming the importance of interculturality and interreligion and encouraging the incorporation of Buddhist mindfulness into policies and governance structures, bringing long-term benefits to everyone.

At the closing ceremony, the Organizing Committee of the 2025 United Nations Day of Vesak announced the Ho Chi Minh City Declaration 2025, in which it congratulated the Vietnamese people for witnessing the strong transformation of Vietnam, especially witnessing the great achievements in all aspects of life, economic, cultural and social development of Vietnam, in which Ho Chi Minh City stands out after 50 years of national reunification. Vietnam's international position is increasingly enhanced and plays an important role in the region and the world.

“The 4th UN Vesak Celebration held in Vietnam has given us a clearer view of the rich, diverse and free religious life in Vietnam. We have clearly seen the strong commitments and practical implementation of the Vietnamese Party and State in respecting and ensuring the freedom of belief and religion of all people,” the statement emphasized.

The Ho Chi Minh City Declaration presents Buddhist responses to the world's pressing challenges, based on the principles of non-violence, tolerance and human dignity, including the main contents of: solidarity and tolerance for human dignity; nurturing inner peace for world peace; forgiveness, healing through mindfulness and reconciliation; Buddhist compassion in action: shared responsibility for human development; mindfulness in education for a humane and sustainable future; promoting solidarity, cooperative efforts for global harmony.

The Ho Chi Minh City Declaration also said that the International Organizing Committee of the United Nations Day of Vesak approved and supported the Buddhist Association of China to host the 21st United Nations Day of Vesak in 2026.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/be-mac-dai-le-vesak-lien-hop-quoc-lan-thu-20-nam-2025-701585.html