UN Day of Vesak 2025: Voices of solidarity for peace, development

Resolution and Life

UN Day of Vesak 2025: Voices of solidarity for peace, development
Most Venerable Thich Tri Quang, the Supreme Patriarch of the Patronage Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS), wished that all Buddhists around the world will unite and actively join hands with the entire humanity to create a truly peaceful and happy world.
Most Venerable Thich Tri Quang, the Supreme Patriarch of the Patronage Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS), speaks at the opening ceremony of the United Nations Day of Vesak Celebrations 2025 on May 6. (Photo: VNA)

HCM City (VNA) – Participants in the 20th United Nations Day of Vesak Celebrations underlined the significance of solidarity in today's changing world while addressing the opening ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City on May 6.

Attending the event, themed "Unity and Inclusivity for Human Dignity: Buddhist Insights for World Peace and Sustainable Development", State President Luong Cuong affirmed that Vietnam always respects and protects everyone’s right to freedom of belief and religion, considering this an imporant foundation for strengthening the great national solidarity.

"The Party and State of Vietnam highly value and create favourable conditions for religions, including Buddhism, to operate within the framework of the law," he stressed.

Reading the Vesak 2025 message at the opening ceremony, Most Venerable Thich Tri Quang, the Supreme Patriarch of the Patronage Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS), said that the year 2025 is of great significance for Vietnamese Buddhism and the Vietnamese people. This is the first time the VBS has organised the UN Day of Vesak Celebrations in HCM City, coinciding with Vietnam's 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification.

He called on every Buddhist to always diligently practice the religion, spread love to all living beings, and light up the world with compassion and wisdom. He wished that all Buddhists around the world will unite and actively join hands with the entire humanity to create a truly peaceful and happy world.

Participants in the 20th United Nations Day of Vesak Celebrations in Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: VNA)

Most Venerable Thich Thien Nhon, Vice Supreme Patriarch, President of the VBS Executive Council, and Chairman of the National Organising Committee for the UN Day of Vesak Celebrations 2025, emphasised that the Vesak 2025 is not only an occasion to commemorate three great events in the life of the Buddha, but also a day of global cultural and spiritual convergence, where humanity together looks towards the universal Buddhist values of compassion, wisdom, and peace for today's world.

The theme of this year’s event is a timely and urgent message as it carries humanistic significance and reflects the current era which the Buddhist community hopes to convey to the world.

He stressed that promoting unity and collaborative efforts for global harmony is the path for the Buddhist community and all religions to join hands in overcoming differences, and building a united world where love, understanding, and sharing become the common language of humanity.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka expressed his honour to attend the UN Day of Vesak Celebrations 2025 in Vietnam – a miraculous country that has achieved extraordinary achievements of perseverance, courage and determination despite the consequences of war.

He affirmed the Buddha's spiritual values on compassion, kindness, and peace, as well as the core value of religion – peace – which now becomes even more valuable, especially when the world still has many instabilities and people in some places are facing inequality and suffering the tragedy of being victims of war.

Most Venerable Phra Brahmapundit, President of the International Council for the Day of Vesak (ICDV), appreciated the support of the Vietnamese Government and the cooperation of the VBS for creating the best conditions for the UN Day of Vesak Celebrations 2025.

He emphasised that the Vesak 2025 not only meets the interests of Buddhists but also touches upon global issues that the UN and humanity are facing. Its theme aims at promoting solidarity, tolerance, and peace, demonstrating the spirit of Buddhism for humanity, caring for human happiness, and encouraging the Buddhist community to cooperate for the sustainable development of the whole world.

Messages from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres; leaders of India, Russia, Cambodia, Thailand, Buryatia; and Buddhist leaders from China, Laos, and Myanmar at the opening ceremony highlighted the significance of the Vesak Celebrations, the spiritual value of the Buddha's life, and the core values of the Buddhist philosophy on compassion, solidarity between people, and harmony with the nature to promote a good life, peace, sustainable development amid the current volatile world./.

See Also

Vietnam-Sri Lanka traditional friendship, multifaceted cooperation

President of Sri Lanka, Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, is paying a state visit to Vietnam and participating in the 20th United Nations Day of Vesak celebrations from May 4 to 6, at the invitation of his counterpart, Vietnamese President Luong Cuong. The visit coincides with the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Party chief calls for institutional, legal breakthroughs for nation’s rise

It can be affirmed that over the past 80 years, since the establishment of the worker-peasant state, under the leadership of the Party, our country has achieved independence, reunification, freedom, democracy, peace, stability, and development because we have had the Constitution and have successfully implemented the Constitution and laws.

Dong Thap strives to bring red-crowned cranes back

The red-crowned crane has long been a symbol of Tram Chim National Park and the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap. Listed as critically endangered on the world’s Red List, the species is in urgent need of protection. To help bring the cranes back, Dong Thap is actively implementing a conservation and development project for the 2022-2032 period.

16 intangible cultural heritage elements recognised by UNESCO

The Ba Chua Xu (Holy Mother of the Realm) Festival at Sam mountain in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang was officially recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage of humanity at the 19th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Paraguay on December 4, 2024. With this recognition, the festival has become the 16th intangible cultural heritage element of Vietnam recognised by UNESCO.

Overseas Vietnamese help Vietnamese products go global

In 2016, approximately 4.5 million Vietnamese were residing in 109 countries and territories. Today, the figures have risen to over 6 million and more than 130, respectively. Once focused on small-scale trade, many OV entrepreneurs now own major retail centres and operate extensive wholesale networks, boosting the availability of Vietnamese products abroad.

Vietnam treasures invaluable support from int'l friends: VFF leader

The Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) leader expressed deep gratitude to international friends for their enduring friendship, wholehearted support, and noble international solidarity extended to Vietnam during its two resistance wars, as well as its ongoing process of national renewal, development, and safeguarding.