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UN Day of Vesak 2025: Showcasing Vietnam as a Peace-Loving and Friendly Nation

The United Nations Day of Vesak 2025 (Vesak 2025) offers an opportunity for both domestic and international audiences to gain a deeper understanding of Vietnam’s 2,000-year-old Buddhist traditions and its enduring cultural contributions throughout the country’s history.

Vesak 2025 Hosted in Ho Chi Minh City

According to Most Venerable Thích Thọ Lạc, Head of the Central Cultural Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS), the 20th UN Day of Vesak will welcome delegations from 80 countries and five territories. Vesak 2025 serves as a valuable occasion to introduce Vietnam to the world as a peaceful, hospitable, united, and harmonious nation.

Speaking to the press, Venerable Thích Đức Thiện, Vice President and General Secretary of the VBS Executive Council, emphasized that the event reaffirms Vietnam’s consistent policy of respecting and ensuring freedom of religion and belief. It also highlights the religious freedom practiced in daily life and the achievements of religious communities in Vietnam after 50 years of national reunification.

Vesak 2025 will take place from May 6 to May 8, 2025, at the Vietnam Buddhist Academy’s Le Minh Xuan campus in Bình Chánh District, Ho Chi Minh City. The event’s theme is:
“Solidarity and Tolerance for Human Dignity: Buddhist Wisdom for World Peace and Sustainable Development.”

The celebration is expected to attract over 2,700 participants, including approximately 1,250 international delegates from 85 countries and territories. Attendees include supreme patriarchs, spiritual leaders, presidents of Buddhist organizations, renowned monks representing major global Buddhist traditions, scholars, professors, PhDs, and intellectuals from prestigious universities and research institutes. Additionally, many overseas Vietnamese from the U.S., Canada, Australia, Europe, and Asia will also attend the celebration.

Vietnam has successfully hosted the UN Day of Vesak three times:

- In 2008, with 87 countries participating, at the National Convention Center in Hanoi.

- In 2014, with 95 countries, at Bái Đính Pagoda, Ninh Bình Province.

- In 2019, with 112 countries, at Tam Chúc Pagoda, Hà Nam Province.

“Through the academic conferences (in both English and Vietnamese), and various cultural and social activities during Vesak 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City, people will gain deeper insight into the unique engaged spirit of Vietnamese Buddhism and its immense contributions to the nation’s founding and defense,” said Venerable Thích Đức Thiện.

First Arrival of the Buddha’s Relics in Vietnam

One of the highlights of Vesak 2025 is the first-ever arrival of the Sacred Buddha Relics—a national treasure of India—on display at Thanh Tâm Pagoda (Bình Chánh District, HCMC), drawing hundreds of thousands of devotees and visitors.

From the early morning of May 3 and 4, crowds of monks, nuns, Buddhist followers, and tourists have flocked to Thanh Tâm Pagoda. Roads leading to the site were filled with people queuing to witness the holy relics.

Another significant ceremony will be the Opening of the Sacred Heart Relic of Bodhisattva Thích Quảng Đức, held at 2:00 PM on May 6 at Vietnam Quoc Tu Pagoda (242-244, 3/2 Street, Ward 12, District 10). Over 1,000 delegations with more than 50,000 people have registered to venerate the Sacred Heart Relic of Bodhisattva Thích Quảng Đức, according to the organizing committee.

Mr. Nguyễn Duy Tân, Director of the Department of Ethnic and Religious Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City, noted that the city has been working closely with the VBS on all aspects of Vesak 2025 preparations. On the morning of May 2, Deputy Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Dương Ngọc Hải, along with Senior Venerable Thích Trí Quảng, the Supreme Patriarch of the VBS, and Venerable Thích Thiện Nhơn, Chairman of the VBS Executive Council, formally welcomed the arrival of the Buddha’s Relics alongside Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs, Mr. Đào Ngọc Dung.

Cultural Exhibition and Media Coverage

As part of the Vesak celebration, a Buddhist Cultural Exhibition will take place at the Vietnam Buddhist Academy campus, showcasing several national treasures to the public for the first time.

The opening and closing ceremonies of Vesak 2025 will be broadcast live on VTV1 (Vietnam Television) and VOV (Voice of Vietnam Radio).