Deputy Prime Minister: Vesak 2025 awakens the good energy in every person

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the United Nations Vesak Celebration 2025 at the Vietnam Buddhist Academy (Ho Chi Minh City) on the morning of May 8th, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh stated that the celebration had been a great success.

The Deputy Prime Minister stated that the grand ceremony attracted the participation of over 2,700 domestic and international delegates, along with tens of thousands of monks, nuns, and Buddhist followers. This was an opportunity for Buddhists worldwide to connect spiritually, foster a spirit of unity, and promote the noble values of Buddhism.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, in recent days, the essence of Buddhist thought, wisdom, and compassion has spread widely, becoming a bridge connecting different ethnic groups, religions, and cultures.

They all share a common noble aspiration: to promote tolerance, harmony, and compassion in order to build a world of lasting peace, cooperation, and happiness for humanity.

A powerful call to action for building a peaceful world.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh quoted UN Secretary-General António Guterres as saying: “The timeless teachings of the Buddha on peace, compassion, and service to others are the path to a better, more understanding, and more harmonious world for all.” This was clearly demonstrated at this year’s UN Vesak Celebration.

The success of the 2025 Vesak Celebration, themed "Unity and Tolerance for Human Dignity: Buddhist Wisdom for World Peace and Sustainable Development," once again affirms the profound responsibility of Buddhism in addressing global issues.

The grand ceremony is a great source of inspiration, awakening faith and igniting benevolent energy in each person. From this, it affirms the core values of Buddhism such as compassion, mindfulness, and morality, capable of pointing to an effective and sustainable path to solving current global problems and challenges, from holistic human development and environmental protection to building lasting peace.

This is a powerful call to action promoting international cooperation to build a peaceful, just, and sustainable world for the common good of all humanity.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh quoted the words of beloved President Ho Chi Minh, who affirmed: "Vietnamese Buddhism and our nation have shared both joys and sorrows throughout thousands of years of history."

These fine traditions are not only preserved but also continue to be strongly promoted. The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha always upholds the spirit of compassion and wisdom, awakens patriotism and solidarity, creating a solid foundation for national unity, making an important contribution to building a peaceful society, and increasingly promoting the great role of Buddhism in the cause of national construction and development.

The successful hosting and organization of the United Nations Vesak Celebration 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City is a clear milestone, demonstrating the increasingly elevated role of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in the international Buddhist community and in strengthening dialogue on global issues, preventing conflict, promoting social justice, and sustainable development.

"This is also vivid evidence of Vietnam's commitment to spreading the teachings of the Buddha," Mr. Nguyen Hoa Binh emphasized.

Affirming many humanistic values of the country and people of Vietnam.

The Deputy Prime Minister summarized that after 40 years of reform, Vietnam has achieved tremendous and historically significant accomplishments, including efforts and achievements in implementing the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, the material and spiritual lives of the people have continuously improved, and the poverty rate has decreased significantly.

Vietnam is recognized by the United Nations as a shining example of poverty reduction, a symbol of peace, stability, hospitality, and an attractive destination for international investors and tourists.

"Also at this forum, I can share with you that in 2025, Vietnam will provide free tuition for children, complete the elimination of temporary and dilapidated houses, and build new houses for war veterans, poor households, and near-poor households (approximately 223,000 houses); we will also soon have solutions to reduce the burden of healthcare costs, moving towards free hospital services for the people," the Deputy Prime Minister said.

He believes that the compassionate Buddha always desires, watches over, blesses, and urges us to do such virtuous and good deeds.

Vesak is an important festival for the global Buddhist community and should be celebrated annually.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh also affirmed that, in matters of belief and religion, Vietnam consistently implements a policy of respecting and protecting the freedom of belief and religion of its people; ensuring equality and non-discrimination on the grounds of belief or religion.

Under the leadership of the Vietnamese Party and State, over the years, people of all religions have always been united, closely connected, and actively participated in the cause of national construction and development, making significant contributions to socio-economic development, ensuring social security, and engaging in charitable and humanitarian activities. Together with the State, they have cared for the poor and vulnerable, ensuring that no one is left behind.

"Vietnam will continue to make even greater efforts to ensure that the Vietnamese people have a more prosperous and happy life, for the goal of a wealthy people, a strong nation, and a just, democratic, and civilized society," the Deputy Prime Minister affirmed.

Emphasizing that the 2025 United Nations Vesak Celebration in Vietnam was a resounding success, the Deputy Prime Minister stated that the success of the Celebration is a powerful testament, affirming many humanitarian values and great achievements of the country and people of Vietnam.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh respectfully thanked the representatives of the United Nations, international guests, delegates, and all monks, nuns, and Buddhist followers from near and far for their enthusiastic response, participation, and contributions of wisdom and effort, which helped to make the grand ceremony a success.

According to him, the success of this year's Vesak celebration shows that it is an important festival for the global Buddhist community and should be maintained and held annually.

Concluding his speech, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh expressed his hope that the delegates attending the Vesak 2025 ceremony in Vietnam would carry the message of Vesak 2025, with its belief in a peaceful and better life, to other countries, territories, and the global community.

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