Attending the event were Politburo member, President Luong Cuong; former Politburo member, former President Truong Tan Sang; Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central Propaganda and Education Commission Nguyen Trong Nghia; Politburo member, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen; Party Central Committee member, Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh; Most Venerable Thich Tri Quang, Supreme Patriarch of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha; Most Venerable Thich Thien Nhon, Deputy Supreme Patriarch of the Council of Patriarchs, Chairman of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, Chairman of the International Organizing Committee of the United Nations Vesak 2025 in Vietnam; Most Venerable Phra Brahmapundit, Chairman of the International Organizing Committee of the United Nations Vesak (ICDV)...
On the international side, there were President of Sri Lanka Anura Kumara Disanayaka, representing Buddhist leaders of 85 countries and territories.
The Vesak Festival officially took place from May 6-8 at the Vietnam Buddhist Academy (Binh Chanh District, Ho Chi Minh City). This is a very important foreign affairs event of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, with the participation of international delegates from 85 countries and territories.
The 2025 Vesak Festival is an opportunity for Buddhists around the world to commemorate the birth, enlightenment and nirvana of Buddha Shakyamuni; an opportunity to strengthen solidarity with friends across the five continents and introduce the good values of Buddhism, contributing to building a world of peace, happiness and friendship.
This year, the main theme of the United Nations Day of Vesak is “Solidarity and Tolerance for Human Dignity: Buddhist Wisdom for World Peace and Sustainable Development”.
Besides the two main messages of “solidarity” and “tolerance” – which are Vietnamese cultural traditions throughout the history of building and defending the country – the theme of the Great Ceremony also reflects the United Nations’ message of peace, sustainable development; taking people as the center and subject; for human life, human dignity; for sustainable development and world peace.
Earlier, on the morning of May 5, the ceremony of raising the 500m2 Buddhist flag was held with the participation of thousands of monks, nuns, Buddhists and people. At the same time, the Organizing Committee opened the Buddhist Cultural Exhibition with the theme "Where art and spirituality converge" to celebrate the Great Festival.
The heart relic of Bodhisattva Thich Quang Duc was brought from the State Bank of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City branch (District 1) to Vietnam Quoc Tu (District 10) for people to worship at 4:20 p.m. the same day.
Along with the heart relic of Bodhisattva Thich Quang Duc, the Buddha relic (brought from India to Vietnam on May 2) are two treasures for people to worship during the 2025 Vesak Festival in Ho Chi Minh City. Up to now, the Buddha relic has completed the decoration at Thanh Tam Pagoda for people to visit and worship from 6:00 a.m. on May 3.
Reading the message of Buddha's birthday, Buddhist calendar 2569, Gregorian calendar 2025, Most Venerable Thich Tri Quang, Supreme Patriarch of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha emphasized: This year is a year of great significance for Vietnamese Buddhism and the Vietnamese people. This is the first time the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha has organized the United Nations Vesak Festival in Ho Chi Minh City, right on the occasion of the people of the whole country jubilantly celebrating the 50th anniversary of national reunification, the North and South reunited as one family.
Venerable Thich Tri Quang said: The United Nations Vesak Festival 2025 has received nearly 1,000 presentations from professors, doctors, and Buddhist researchers, thereby contributing to making the Buddha's teachings become clear and realistic. In particular, the Vesak Festival 2025 will welcome and pay homage to the relics of Buddha Shakyamuni, the national treasure of India and a valuable sacred treasure of humanity.
At the opening ceremony of the 2025 Vesak Festival this morning (May 6), President Luong Cuong warmly welcomed the presence of heads of state, government leaders, international organizations and numerous Buddhist dignitaries representing Buddhism around the world, along with delegates, compatriots, monks, nuns and Vietnamese Buddhists at home and abroad.
The President said this is a vivid manifestation of the spirit of solidarity, compassion and harmony - the core values that Buddha left to humanity.
According to the President, the Buddha was born more than 2,600 years ago, and the core values of the teachings of Compassion and Wisdom that he taught remain relevant to humanity today. The Vesak Festival - the anniversary of three major events in the Buddha's life: his birth, enlightenment and nirvana - is not only meaningful to millions of Buddhists around the world, but is also an opportunity for everyone to worship and spread the noble values of Buddhism: compassion, wisdom and peace.
In Vietnam, Vesak is a major international religious event, of great significance to Buddhists and people sympathetic to Buddhism around the world, including the Buddhist Sangha, the country and people of Vietnam.
“We welcome and appreciate the theme of Vesak 2025 - 'Solidarity and Tolerance for Human Dignity: Buddhist Insights for World Peace and Sustainable Development'.
This is a deeply meaningful message in the context of the world facing many challenges such as conflict, inequality, climate change and social and ethical crisis.
The 2025 United Nations Vesak Celebration is very meaningful as it is held on the occasion of Vietnam solemnly celebrating the 50th anniversary of national reunification and moving towards the 80th anniversary of National Day," said the President.
According to President Luong Cuong, Vietnam is a country with a long-standing Buddhist tradition, deeply attached to the history of building and defending the country. Over the past 2,000 years, Buddhism has become an inseparable part of the cultural and spiritual life of the Vietnamese people. Through many ups and downs of history, Vietnamese Buddhism has always upheld the spirit of "protecting the country and bringing peace to the people", and the Dharma has always accompanied the nation. Values such as patriotism, tolerance, and a sense of goodness of Buddhism have permeated the souls of the Vietnamese people and contributed to fostering the cultural identity of the Vietnamese nation.
Today, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha is continuing that tradition, actively participating in the work of building and defending the Fatherland. Tens of thousands of monks, nuns, and Buddhists across the country not only diligently study and practice, propagate the Dharma, but also take the lead in many activities that benefit the country and the people, such as through charity work, social security, hunger eradication and poverty reduction, disaster relief, environmental protection, community health care, etc., making an important contribution to the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals and sustainable development in Vietnam, helping to blend religion and life towards common happiness.
“The Party and State of Vietnam always appreciate and create favorable conditions for religions, including Buddhism, to operate within the legal framework, consistently implementing the policy of respecting and protecting the freedom of belief and religion of all people and considering it an important foundation for building great national unity.
Currently, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha is a member of the Vietnam Fatherland Front; representing monks, nuns, and Buddhists nationwide, and has performed well in guiding followers to practice, live a "good life, good religion", contribute to the country's development, and expand international cooperation. The fact that the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha will host the United Nations Day of Vesak in 2025 shows that Vietnamese Buddhism is not only closely attached to the nation, but is also actively contributing to international Buddhist activities. The monks, nuns, and Buddhists of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha have, are, and will continue to join hands with monks, nuns, and Buddhists around the world to serve the Dharma and humanity, for the common goal of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development," the President emphasized.
According to the President, in the current world situation and in the coming years, peace, cooperation and development are still the main trends. However, the world is still facing many difficulties and challenges such as war, conflict, climate change, inequality, poverty and the consequences of natural disasters and global epidemics.
The super typhoon Yagi that Vietnam and some countries in the region had to endure, or the recent earthquakes in Myanmar and Thailand, once again warned of the serious impact of natural disasters and climate change on the sustainable development of the world. These challenges call for us to strengthen solidarity, cooperation and mutual respect, join hands to act and make efforts for a world of peace, sustainable development and human dignity...
“As the host country, we hope and believe that the 2025 United Nations Day of Vesak held in Vietnam this time will be a great success; delegates will share many useful experiences, actively contribute to the thematic content of the Festival; at the same time, have practical experiences to better understand the country and people of Vietnam. Through Buddhist wisdom to build a more peaceful, humane and sustainable future for the world...", President Luong Cuong shared.
The President suggested that compassion be put into policy, wisdom be brought into development orientation, and the spirit of selflessness and altruism be promoted, meaning that in everything we do, we do not do it for ourselves but always think of the interests of the masses.
Source: https://baonghean.vn/chu-tich-nuoc-luong-cuong-du-dai-le-vesak-lien-hop-quoc-2025-10296617.html
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