Procession of Buddha Shakyamuni's relics: Sacred symbol at Vesak 2025

At the conference providing information on events taking place during the 2025 United Nations Vesak Festival, Most Venerable Thich Duc Thien, Vice President of the Executive Council and General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, said: The 2025 United Nations Vesak Festival will take place from May 6 to 8 at the Vietnam Buddhist Academy, Le Minh Xuan campus, Binh Chanh district, Ho Chi Minh City, with the main theme being "Solidarity and tolerance for human dignity: Buddhist wisdom for world peace and sustainable development".

Venerable Thich Duc Thien provides information about the 2025 Vesak Festival.

This is the 20th time the Vesak Festival has been held and the first time it has taken place in Ho Chi Minh City, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the complete liberation of the South and national reunification (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025) and the 80th anniversary of the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (September 2, 1945 - September 2, 2025).

This year's Vesak celebration will be attended by more than 2,700 delegates, including about 1,250 international delegates from 85 countries and territories and about 1,500 domestic delegates.

Two special events at this year's ceremony are the procession and enshrinement of the relics of Buddha Shakyamuni - a national treasure of India, and the procession and enshrinement of the bronze stupa containing the heart relics of Bodhisattva Thich Quang Duc at the Vietnam National Temple, 3/2 Street, District 10.

The relics of Buddha Shakyamuni will be enshrined at Thanh Tam Pagoda, Vietnam Buddhist Academy, Le Minh Xuan campus from May 2-8; at Ba Den Mountain (Tay Ninh) from May 9-13; at Quan Su Pagoda (Hanoi) from May 14-16 and at Tam Chuc Pagoda (Ha Nam) from May 17-21.

The official website of the United Nations Vesak 2025 is at: www.undv2025vietnam.com. The press, security, medical centers... are located at the campus of the Vietnam Buddhist Academy, Le Minh Xuan campus.

Sharing more information about the 2025 United Nations Vesak Festival at the conference, Ms. Tran Thi Minh Nga, Deputy Head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religions, said: Within the framework of the festival, there will be a candle lighting ceremony to pray for world peace and the planting of 108 Bodhi trees on Ba Den Mountain (Tay Ninh). Representatives of the United Nations, international organizations, leaders of countries... will attend this activity.

The 2025 United Nations Day of Vesak is an important international cultural diplomacy event, contributing to affirming the role and tradition of Vietnamese Buddhism always accompanying the nation, promoting the spirit of solidarity, tolerance, taking people as the center, aiming for peace and sustainable development for all humanity.

Many cultural festival activities will take place on this occasion, including a grand ceremony to pay tribute to heroic martyrs on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the complete liberation of the South and national reunification; an international lantern festival to pray for national peace and prosperity, world peace; an international scientific conference; an international Buddhist art performance; a visit to a facility caring for children affected by Agent Orange; a Buddhist cultural exhibition...

Source: https://nhandan.vn/cung-ruoc-xa-loi-duc-phat-thich-ca-mau-ni-bieu-tuong-thieng-lieng-tai-dai-le-vesak-2025-post874894.html