Vesak celebrations in Vietnam to attract 1,500 international delegates

The UN Day of Vesak 2019 will be held at the Tam Chuc Temple in Ha Nam province.

The United Nations Day of Vesak celebrations in 2019 to be hosted by Vietnam are expected to welcome more than 1,500 international delegates from 106 countries and territories worldwide, according to Vietnam’s Buddhist association.

Dignitaries attending the Vesak celebrations in Vietnam will include politicians, government officials and Buddhist leaders from countries and territories with strong Buddhist traditions.

Key activities, including the opening and closing ceremonies, will be held in Tam Chuc Temple, a Buddhist complex in the northern province of Ha Nam.

According to the Vietnamese Buddhist Sangha, there will be five conferences on the Buddhist approaches to global leadership, sustainable peace, harmonious families, education in ethics, the fourth industrial revolution and responsible consumption.

As part of the celebrations, Buddhist rites such as a lantern release, exhibitions, art performances and tour programmes will also be held.

This is the third time that Vietnam will host the event, with the 2019 edition scheduled to take place from May 12-14, under the theme “Buddhist Approach to Global Leadership & Shared Responsibilities for Sustainable Societies.”

Vietnam hosted the UN Day of Vesak for the first time in 2008 at the My Dinh National Convention Centre in Hanoi and for the second time in 2014 at the Bai Dinh Temple in Ninh Binh province.