United Nations Vesak 2025: Affirming many profound human values

The 500m² Buddhist flag flutters in the blue sky. Photo: Le Minh/ Vietnam Pictorial

For the first time, Ho Chi Minh City has successfully hosted and organized the 20th United Nations Day of Vesak - Vesak 2025, and for the fourth time Vietnam has been honored to be chosen as the venue for this important Buddhist cultural event. This shows the increasingly enhanced role and mark of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in the international Buddhist community.

Domestic and international delegates attending the 20th United Nations Day of Vesak - Vesak 2025.

The Buddha's Birthday is a major cultural event for the Buddhist community. The children of Buddha all over the world joyfully celebrate the sacred Vesak Festival, an event honored by the United Nations for its message of wisdom and boundless love of the Buddha. This year, this event is even more significant for Buddhism and the Vietnamese people, as Ho Chi Minh City hosts it for the first time, right on the occasion of joining in the heroic and exciting atmosphere of the whole country celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025).

The United Nations Day of Vesak 2025 was solemnly opened at the Vietnam Buddhist Academy in Ho Chi Minh City.

Vesak 2025 with the theme "Solidarity and Tolerance for Human Dignity: Buddhist Wisdom for World Peace and Sustainable Development"

The 2025 Vesak Festival also brings joy and happiness to the people and Buddhist community, expressing respect and gratitude to Buddha, connecting people in beliefs, sharing and rejoicing with many diverse and impressive Buddhist cultural and festival activities.

According to records, there are 1,300 international delegates from 85 countries and territories officially registered to attend the 2025 United Nations Vesak Festival in Vietnam this time, along with a large number of monks and Buddhists locally and nationwide to attend many cultural activities, festivals, arts, and international discussions taking place at pagodas and Buddhist students in the city. In addition, there is support from 600 volunteers and thousands of Buddhists supporting logistics and service work, contributing to the complete success of this Vesak festival.

Flower lantern ceremony/ tribute to AHLS on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification.

Lanterns are released into the lake of Lang Le park. Photo: Le Minh/ Vietnam Pictorial

The grand ceremony with 7 main cultural and artistic activities, unique performances attracted a large audience, including: Art program held at Lang Le Cultural Park (Binh Chanh district) with the participation of domestic and international artists from China, India, Mongolia; Exhibition "Vietnamese Buddhist Culture" with 87 national treasures of Vietnamese Buddhism; Flag Raising Ceremony with 500m Buddhist flag, with 10m high peace balloon and representatives of participating countries will sign on the balloon; Lantern Festival with 35,000 lanterns lit in the lantern festival praying for peace; Cultural Fair and special Tea Ceremony program.

This year's Vesak celebration received more than 1,000 papers focusing on the theme of Solidarity and tolerance for human dignity: Buddhist wisdom for world peace and sustainable development, once again affirming that in Buddhist teachings, the philosophy of solidarity and tolerance are two core elements that express the spirit of compassion, wisdom and aim for the common happiness and peace of the community, the sustainable development of each country and nation.

The success of the 2025 Vesak Celebration with the theme "Solidarity and Tolerance for Human Dignity: Buddhist Insight for World Peace and Sustainable Development" once again affirms the noble responsibility of Buddhism in the face of global issues.

Worship Buddha's relics on top of Ba Den mountain.

World peace prayer ceremony on top of Ba Den mountain.

The festival is a great source of inspiration, awakening faith and stirring up good energy in every human being; affirming the core values ​​of Buddhism such as compassion, mindfulness and ethics, capable of showing effective and sustainable paths to solve current global problems and challenges, from comprehensive human development, environmental protection, to building a solid peace; is a strong call to promote international cooperation to create a world of peace, justice and sustainable development for the common benefit of all humanity.

More than 2,000 delegates took souvenir photos after the opening ceremony of the 225th UN Vesak Festival.

At the closing ceremony of the 2025 Vesak festival, Politburo member and Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh emphasized: This year's Vesak festival 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 Festival 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./.

• Article: Son Nghia/ Vietnam Pictorial
• Photo: Le Minh/ Vietnam Pictorial - Tran The Phong - Tran Tien Dung & VNA documents

Source: https://vietnam.vnanet.vn/vietnamese/long-form/dai-le-vesak-lien-hop-quoc-2025-khang-dinh-nhieu-gia-tri-nhan-van-sau-sac-396917.html