Buddha's relics were transported by military plane

NDO - The United Nations Day of Vesak 2025 will take place solemnly in Ho Chi Minh City from May 6 to 8. This is a large-scale international religious event and marks the first time that Buddha's relics - India's national treasure - have been brought to Vietnam by military aircraft.

According to Most Venerable Thich Duc Thien, Vice President of the Executive Council and General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, the Buddha's relics are protected by Indian law. When taken abroad, it will be equivalent to a state visit and will be carried out by the Indian government's military aircraft.

To prepare for this important event, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially sent a diplomatic note requesting permission from India to bring the relics back to Vietnam. An Indian advance team including representatives from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; archeological and museum experts... were also present in Vietnam to survey Thanh Tam Pagoda, Binh Chanh District - the location where the Buddha's relics are enshrined.

During the procession and enshrinement of the relics, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha closely coordinated with relevant agencies to ensure strict conditions of security, safety, temperature, and humidity according to regulations...

The delegation accompanying and escorting the Buddha's relics is expected to land at Tan Son Nhat Airport, Ho Chi Minh City on the morning of May 2. The relics will then be enshrined at Thanh Tam Pagoda, 22 Mai Ba Huong, Le Minh Xuan, Binh Chanh District.

The United Nations Day of Vesak 2025 is one of the important international Buddhist events held annually. Vietnam has hosted and organized it three times: 2008 at the My Dinh National Convention Center, Hanoi; 2014 at Bai Dinh Pagoda, Ninh Binh Province; 2019 at Tam Chuc Pagoda, Ha Nam Province... The successful celebrations left a good impression in the hearts of international friends about the image of the country, people, culture and Buddhism of Vietnam.

Volunteer force serving Vesak 2025.

This year, the Vesak Festival is held in a context of special historical significance: the 50th anniversary of the 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).

The fact that the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha hosted and organized the grand ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City is a vivid demonstration of the country's strong transformation after half a century of independence and unification, as well as affirming the role of Vietnamese Buddhism in the cause of building and defending the Fatherland.

Vesak 2025 is not only a special spiritual, cultural and diplomatic event, but also an opportunity for international friends to better understand the history, culture and people of Vietnam, and to feel the development and changes of the country after 50 years of peace restoration.

Preparations for the 2025 Vesak celebration are taking place urgently.

The main theme of this year's celebration is: "Solidarity and Tolerance for Human Dignity: Buddhist Wisdom for World Peace and Sustainable Development".

This theme affirms Buddhism’s message of compassion, wisdom and solidarity in the current volatile context. At the same time, it emphasizes that over the past 2,000 years, Vietnamese Buddhism has always been closely associated with and accompanied the nation in every historical period.

During the Ly-Tran dynasties, the Buddhist king Tran Nhan Tong not only built a prosperous dynasty but also left a profound worldly ideology for posterity. During the long resistance wars, many pagodas became revolutionary bases, many monks and nuns took off their cassocks and donned military uniforms, contributing to the struggle for national independence.

In peacetime, Buddhism continues to make positive contributions to social security in all regions of the country and spread the message of love to the international community.

Main hall at VESAK 2025.

The 2025 Vesak Festival program is expected as follows:

May 3: Opening ceremony, worship of Buddha's relics - national treasure of India at Thanh Tam Pagoda, Vietnam Buddhist Academy (Le Minh Xuan campus, Binh Chanh district) and heart relics of Bodhisattva Thich Quang Duc at Vietnam National Temple, 3/2 street, district 10.

May 5: Opening of Buddhist cultural exhibition at Vietnam Buddhist Academy campus; art performance program "Sacred Vesak" at Lang Le park.

May 6: Opening of the United Nations Vesak 2025; presentation of the main theme of the United Nations Vesak 2025; a ceremony to pay tribute to heroic martyrs on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification; international lantern festival to pray for national peace, prosperity and world peace.

May 7: International scientific conference of Vesak Festival; international Buddhist art performance night at Sala Theater, Thu Duc City.

May 8: Closing of Vesak Festival.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/xa-loi-duc-phat-duoc-cung-ruoc-bang-chuyen-co-quan-su-post875260.html