This morning (May 6), the United Nations Day of Vesak 2025 officially opened under the theme “Solidarity and tolerance for human dignity: Buddhist wisdom for world peace and sustainable development.”
The grand opening ceremony took place at the Vietnam Buddhist Academy in Binh Chanh District, Ho Chi Minh City.
Attending the event were President Luong Cuong, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, former President Truong Tan Sang, Head of the Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Commission Nguyen Trong Nghia, Ho Chi Minh City Party Secretary Nguyen Van Nen, Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh, Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung, and HCMC Deputy Party Secretary Nguyen Thanh Nghi.
President Luong Cuong and Supreme Patriarch Thich Tri Quang of the Vietnam Buddhist SanghaMinister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung attends the opening of the UN Day of Vesak 2025.
Also present were senior monks and religious leaders from global Buddhist councils, associations, and organizations, alongside revered monks from the Supreme Patriarch Council and the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.
In his opening remarks, Most Venerable Thich Tri Quang, Supreme Patriarch of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s Supreme Council, noted: “This is the fourth time the UN Day of Vesak has been held in Vietnam, and the first time it is hosted in Ho Chi Minh City.
This year’s Vesak celebration is blessed with the presence of the relic of Shakyamuni Buddha – a national treasure of India and a sacred, priceless relic of humankind. We also have the rare opportunity to pay homage to the undying heart relic of Bodhisattva Thich Quang Duc, affirming his enlightened spiritual realization.
Most Venerable Thich Tri Quang speaks this morning.
The Venerable Thich Quang Duc (1897-1963) lived a life of selflessness and served as a shining example of devotion to the Dharma and the Vietnamese people.”
According to the Supreme Patriarch, humanity today is living in an unpredictable world fraught with the consequences of climate change, environmental crises, natural disasters, earthquakes, floods, epidemics, and poverty. War and conflict have left many people living in fear and instability.
“Now more than ever, we must cherish and earnestly practice the sacred teachings of the Buddha, igniting the compassionate spirit of Bodhisattva Thich Quang Duc to build a world of peace, ethics, and sustainable human development.”
Speaking at the event, Most Venerable Thich Thien Nhon, Deputy Supreme Patriarch, Chairman of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, and Chairman of the UN Vesak 2025 National Organizing Committee, emphasized: “This year’s theme is more urgent than ever. It reflects the universal values that the global Buddhist community wishes to share. In a world full of instability, humanity faces unprecedented challenges. We must awaken the spirit of solidarity and compassion, placing human dignity at the center of all actions.”
He recalled the Buddha’s teachings: “All sentient beings possess Buddha nature.” This is a testament to the equal dignity and worth of every person, regardless of skin color, religion, nationality, or social status. “The mind is the master; the mind creates all. If we speak or act with a pure mind, happiness will follow like a shadow that never leaves.”
Most Venerable Thich Thien Nhon – Vice Patriarch, Chairman of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, and Chair of the National Organizing Committee for UN Day of Vesak 2025.
He affirmed that the spirit of unity and tolerance is not only a Buddhist teaching but also a core principle of the United Nations.
“From this hall, let us call upon the global community to set aside differences and build solidarity. Let wisdom dispel ignorance and violence. Let human dignity be the center, ensuring no one is left behind in the journey toward sustainable development.”
“On this occasion, I call upon the global Buddhist community to diligently uphold the Dharma, cultivate inner peace, radiate compassion and wisdom, and meaningfully contribute to global peace and human happiness,” Most Venerable Thich Thien Nhon concluded.
The UN Vesak 2025 celebration takes place from May 6 to 8 with 2,700 delegates, including 1,300 international representatives from 85 countries and territories.
At the Vesak opening ceremony, President Luong Cuong emphasized that the celebration - commemorating the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and passing into Nirvana - is not only meaningful to millions of Buddhists worldwide, but also a time for all to reflect on and share Buddhism’s noble values: compassion, wisdom, and peace.
In Vietnam, Vesak is one of the most significant international religious events. It holds deep meaning not only for the Vietnamese Buddhist Sangha and its followers, but also for the Vietnamese people and those across the globe who feel an affinity for Buddhism.
According to President Cuong, Vietnam is a country with a longstanding Buddhist tradition, closely intertwined with its history of nation-building and defense. Buddhist values such as patriotism, tolerance, and the pursuit of goodness have deeply influenced Vietnamese culture and helped shape the nation's identity.
Today, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha continues that legacy by actively participating in the country’s development and protection.
President Luong Cuong: The Vietnamese Party and State always respect and facilitate religious activities, including Buddhism.
“The Vietnamese Party and State always hold in high regard and create favorable conditions for religions, including Buddhism, to operate within the framework of the law,” said President Cuong. “We consistently uphold a policy that respects and protects the freedom of belief and religion, recognizing it as a crucial foundation for strengthening national unity.”
He added, “We must bring compassion into policymaking, wisdom into our development strategies, and promote the spirit of selflessness - doing everything not for personal gain, but for the common good.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivers message for Vesak 2025
UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivers Vesak 2025 message, calls for unity and compassion
In his official message for the 2025 Vesak celebration, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted the enduring relevance of the Buddha’s teachings, noting their deep connection to the UN’s core values.
“The Buddha’s messages of compassion, tolerance, and selfless service resonate profoundly with the values of the United Nations,” Guterres stated.
“In an era where the world faces profound challenges, these timeless principles must continue to illuminate humanity’s shared path. As we honor this sacred occasion, may it inspire us all to heal divisions, foster solidarity, and work together to build a more peaceful, sustainable, and harmonious world,” he urged.
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Disanayaka: Vesak remains Buddhism’s most sacred day
President Anura Kumara Disanayaka of Sri Lanka emphasized the enduring importance of Vesak in traditional Buddhist countries, especially Sri Lanka - one of the first nations to embrace Buddhism beyond India. For over two and a half millennia, he said, this day has remained the most revered and sacred occasion on the Buddhist calendar.
“As the leader of one of the world’s foremost Theravāda Buddhist countries, I am truly honored to join Buddhists around the globe - especially those in Vietnam - in celebrating this year’s Vesak,” President Disanayaka stated.
The UN Day of Vesak 2025 opened on May 6. Photo: Nguyen Hue
Vietnam, a nation with a long-standing Buddhist tradition closely tied to national development, proudly hosts UN Vesak 2025 amid nationwide celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the 1975 Spring Victory that unified the country.
Vietnamese Buddhism, through generations of devoted monks, nuns, and followers, contributed significantly to that historic achievement - embodied in the undying heart flame of Bodhisattva Thich Quang Duc.
Reflecting on this 50-year journey, Vietnam’s path of progress has been one of unity, tolerance, and building a peaceful society where all people live in happiness and harmony. This direction is now propelling the nation into a new era of prosperity.
Vesak 2025 provides an opportunity for Buddhists worldwide to honor the birth, enlightenment, and passing into Nirvana of the Buddha Shakyamuni. It also serves as a chance to foster global friendship and promote Buddhism’s noble values in creating a world of peace and mutual understanding.
Buddhists around the world commemorate the Buddha’s life milestones during Vesak. Photo: Nguyen Hue
This year’s UN Vesak Day carries the theme: “Solidarity and tolerance for human dignity: Buddhist wisdom for world peace and sustainable development.” The theme reflects both the core values of Vietnam’s culture - unity and tolerance - and the UN’s message of peace and sustainable development. It focuses on human dignity as central to progress and global harmony.
This year’s UN Vesak Day carries the theme: “Solidarity and tolerance for human dignity: Buddhist wisdom for world peace and sustainable development.” Photo: Nguyen Hue
On May 5, ahead of the opening, a 500-square-meter Buddhist flag was ceremoniously raised with the participation of thousands of monks, nuns, and laypeople. An exhibition titled “Where art and spirituality converge” also opened to welcome the celebration.
The sacred heart relic of Bodhisattva Thich Quang Duc was transferred from the State Bank’s HCMC branch (District 1) to Vietnam Quoc Tu Pagoda (District 10) for public veneration at 4:20 p.m. on the same day.
Alongside this relic, the relic of the Buddha, brought from India to Vietnam on May 2, is now fully enshrined at Thanh Tam Pagoda and open to the public for worship from 6:00 a.m. on May 3.
Vietnamnet.vn
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