United Nations Vesak 2025: Introducing the image of a peace-loving, friendly Vietnam

vesak festival — United Nations Vesak Day held in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: MH

Reach out to the world

Most Venerable Thich Tho Lac - Head of the Central Cultural Committee, Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) said that the 20th United Nations Vesak Festival has delegations from 80 countries and 5 territories participating. The 2025 Vesak Festival is an opportunity to introduce the image of the country and people of Vietnam, who love peace , friendliness, solidarity and harmony.

Speaking to the press, Most Venerable Thich Duc Thien - Vice President and General Secretary of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha assessed that this is an opportunity to affirm to the international community the consistent policy of respecting and ensuring freedom of belief and religion of the Party and State of Vietnam; the reality of religious freedom in Vietnam; and the achievements that the religious community in Vietnam has achieved after 50 years of national reunification.

The 2025 Vesak Festival will take place from May 6 to 8, 2025, at the Vietnam Buddhist Academy Hall (Le Minh Xuan campus, Binh Chanh district, Ho Chi Minh City), with the theme "Solidarity and tolerance for human dignity: Buddhist wisdom for world peace and sustainable development". The event will be attended by more than 2,700 delegates, including about 1,250 international delegates from 85 countries and territories, including Buddhist kings, Supreme Patriarchs, Dharma Masters, and Presidents of Buddhist organizations around the world; eminent monks, representatives of major Buddhist traditions in the world, who play an important role in orienting and developing the world Buddhist community; researchers, scholars, professors, and doctors from famous universities and research institutes; Buddhist intellectuals in the world and in the country. In addition, many Vietnamese expatriates in the United States, Canada, Australia, European countries and Asian countries attended the Vesak Festival this year.

Vietnam has successfully hosted and organized three United Nations Vesak celebrations in 2008 with 87 countries participating at the My Dinh National Convention Center ( Hanoi ); 2014 with 95 countries participating at Bai Dinh Pagoda (Ninh Binh province); and 2019 with 112 countries participating at Tam Chuc Pagoda (Ha Nam province).

“Through the program content, scientific seminars in English and Vietnamese, cultural and social activities of the 2025 Vesak Festival in Ho Chi Minh City, people will understand more deeply the unique spirit of engagement of Vietnamese Buddhism, the great contributions of Buddhism in the cause of building and defending the country” - Venerable Thich Duc Thien said.

The first time Buddha's relics come to Vietnam

The Organizing Committee opened the worship of Buddha's relics - the national treasure of India, at Thanh Tam Pagoda (Binh Chanh District, Ho Chi Minh City). This is the first time Buddha's relics have been brought to Vietnam, so it has attracted hundreds of thousands of people to come and worship.

From early morning on May 3 and 4, many monks, nuns, Buddhists and tourists flocked to Thanh Tam Pagoda. The roads leading to the pagoda were packed with people and vehicles lining up to directly worship the Buddha's relics.

The opening ceremony of the worship of the relics of Bodhisattva Thich Quang Duc will begin at 2:00 p.m. on May 6 at Vietnam National Pagoda (242 - 244 3/2 Street, Ward 12, District 10) to serve domestic and foreign visitors. According to information from the Organizing Committee, up to now, there have been over 1,000 delegations with over 50,000 people registered to worship the relics of the Heart of Bodhisattva Thich Quang Duc.

Mr. Nguyen Duy Tan - Director of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions of Ho Chi Minh City said that in the preparation process for the 2025 Vesak Festival, the city has closely coordinated with the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in all preparation stages. On the morning of May 2, Mr. Duong Ngoc Hai - Permanent Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee welcomed the Buddha's relics with Most Venerable Thich Tri Quang, Supreme Patriarch of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha; Most Venerable Thich Thien Nhon, Deputy Supreme Patriarch, Chairman of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha; Minister of Ethnic Minorities and Religions Dao Ngoc Dung.

Within the framework of this year's festival, a Buddhist cultural exhibition will also take place at the Vietnam Buddhist Academy. The exhibition will introduce to the public for the first time a number of national treasures.

The opening and closing ceremonies of the 2025 Vesak Festival will be broadcast live on VTV1, Vietnam Television, and Voice of Vietnam (VOV).

Source: https://ttbc-hcm.gov.vn/dai-le-vesak-lien-hop-quoc-2025-gioi-thieu-hinh-anh-viet-nam-yeu-chuong-hoa-binh-than-thien-1018603.html