Vesak 2025: Buddhism strives to promote global unity and harmony

Vesak - Photo 1.

Vajrayana Buddhist tradition holds a prayer ceremony for world peace to open the second working day of the 2025 United Nations Day of Vesak - Photo by Dang Huy

The workshop is a notable event at the 20th United Nations Vesak Celebration in 2025 with the participation of many delegates from 80 countries around the world.

The conference included a plenary session and three thematic sessions with more than 300 presentations focusing on the main theme of the Vesak Festival: “Solidarity and Tolerance for Human Dignity: Buddhist Wisdom for World Peace and Sustainable Development”.

The presentations focused on five main topics: Nurturing inner peace for World Peace; Forgiveness and healing with mindfulness: The path of reconciliation;

Buddhist Compassion in Action: Shared Responsibility for Human Development; Mindfulness inEducation for a Humane and Sustainable Future; and Fostering Solidarity: Collaborative Efforts for Global Harmony.

The authors have applied a multidimensional approach, combining the study of Buddhist scriptures with fields such as psychology, education, sociology, environmental studies... to provide in-depth analysis and practical solutions to global issues such as climate change, social inequality, and cultural conflicts.

The presentations emphasize the role of applying Buddhist wisdom to address contemporary challenges through key concepts: impermanence, interbeing, and compassion.

Studies have demonstrated that Buddhist thought not only has spiritual value but also has high applicability in peace building, sustainable development and enhancing human dignity.

Vesak - Photo 2.

At Forum 3, Dr. Efendi Hansen Ng, vice president of Mahayana Buddhist University Indonesia, said that Buddhist participation is a manifestation of compassion, equality and shared responsibility for humanity.

In his speech “Promoting Solidarity: Collaborative Efforts for Global Harmony”, Most Venerable Thich Gia Quang focused on analyzing the current world context threatened by war, climate crisis and social division, thereby emphasizing the role of the 2025 United Nations Day of Vesak as a strategic opportunity to call for global solidarity.

Venerable Thich Bao Nghiem, with his presentation “Vesak 2025: Solidarity and Tolerance for Human Dignity – Buddhist Insight for Peace and Sustainable Development”, highlighted the role of Buddhist insight in resolving suffering, fostering harmony and building a sustainable foundation for humanity.

Based on the spirit of the Three Harmonies Festival, Most Venerable Thich Bao Nghiem affirmed that values such as solidarity, tolerance and respect for human dignity are not only moral ideals but also practical means to promote intercultural dialogue, overcome religious divisions and shape global policies based on wisdom and compassion.

According to Most Venerable Thich Nhat Tu, Vice President of the National Organizing Committee of the United Nations Vesak 2025, Head of the Organizing Committee of the Conference - the studies reported in the Conference emphasized the profound transformational potential of Buddhist wisdom in times of crisis and integration.

The principles of compassion, loving-kindness, and wisdom are not only the foundation of personal practice, but also essential virtues for global coexistence. The ethical foundation of tolerance proposed here is a framework that all human beings deserve respect, regardless of race, creed, or nationality.

Vesak - Photo 3.

Venerable Dr. Jinwol Lee, ICDV member expressed his views on "building a culture of peace, compassion and healing that includes cultivating empathy and kindness in our interactions with others" at Forum 5 of the Conference

Each paper relates to one or more of the conference’s sub-themes, offering innovative insights and practical solutions to pressing global issues. Some examine the integration of mindfulness into modern education systems, while others examine the role of Buddhist ethics in advancing the goal of sustainable development.

Future research directions could focus on the role of Buddhist ethics in shaping institutional culture, particularly in intergovernmental organizations and conflict resolution initiatives. Another promising research direction is the integration of mindfulness practices and compassionate leadership into public administration and education systems.

“Solidarity and tolerance for human dignity” is not only a theme but also a philosophical foundation towards which we need to work together.

Celebrating this theme in the 2025 United Nations Day of Vesak in Vietnam is a strong affirmation by Buddhist leaders around the world that the Buddhist path is wisdom in action, compassion in community and solidarity for human happiness.