The relics of Buddha Shakyamuni, India's national treasure, are carried to many localities.

United Nations Vesak 2025 Press Conference

According to Most Venerable Thich Gia Quang, Vice President of the Executive Council, Head of the Central Information and Communications Department of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, the United Nations (UN) Vesak Festival is one of the most important international Buddhist events held annually, recognized by the UN since 1999 to honor three major events in the life of Buddha Shakyamuni: Birth, Enlightenment and Nirvana. This important international event is an opportunity for Vietnam to introduce to the world the image of a peace-loving country with friendly, united and compassionate people.

The activities on the sidelines of the 2025 UN Vesak Festival will officially start from April 28, including a series of unique cultural events and festivals such as: Memorial ceremony to pay tribute to heroic martyrs on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification according to traditional Buddhist rituals typical of the three regions of the North, Central and South; Traditional Buddha bathing ceremony; Night of flower lanterns praying for world peace ; Buddhist art exhibition...

According to Venerable Thich Gia Quang, the special point of this Great Ceremony, compared to the three previous ones held in Vietnam, is that the VBS, with the agreement of the governments of Vietnam and India, will solemnly invite the relics of Buddha Shakyamuni, the national treasure of India, to be enshrined at the Great Ceremony.

The journey to welcome, enshrine and worship the relics of Buddha Shakyamuni - the national treasure of India, will officially begin at Thanh Tam Pagoda, Vietnam Buddhist Academy, located in Lang Le Park (Le Minh Xuan Commune, Binh Chanh District, Ho Chi Minh City) from 8:00 a.m. on May 2 to the end of May 8. This is the most sacred and special highlight within the framework of the 2025 UN Vesak Festival, marking the first time that Buddha relics have been invited to many localities across the country in a large-scale pilgrimage with close coordination between the two Governments of Vietnam and India.

Most Venerable Thich Duc Thien, Vice President and General Secretary of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, said that the ceremony was attended by about 1,250 international delegates, including Buddhist Kings, Supreme Patriarchs, Dharma Masters, and Presidents of Buddhist organizations around the world; eminent monks representing major Buddhist traditions around the world; researchers, scholars, professors, and doctors from famous universities and research institutes; and Buddhist intellectuals around the world and in the country. Along with that, there were also many Vietnamese expatriates in the US, Canada, Oceania, Europe, and Asia.

MAI AN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/xa-loi-duc-phat-thich-ca-mau-ni-bao-vat-quoc-gia-cua-an-do-duoc-ruoc-qua-nhieu-dia-phuong-post791954.html