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UN Vesak - The biggest religious ritual in Vietnam
UN Vesak - The biggest religious ritual in Vietnam
12/5/19
The United Nations Day of Vesak 2019 Celebration is set to begin in Tam Chuc Pagoda in the northern province of Ha Nam today.
According to the organisers, more than 1,600 international delegates of over 110 countries and territories have arrived to attend the event, including Government and State leaders, the UN Deputy Secretary-General, representatives of ministries, agencies and localities, and monks, nuns and Buddhist followers.
Themed “Buddhist approach to global leadership and shared responsibilities for sustainable cities,” the Vesak 2019 celebration will take place from May 12-14.
It will comprise of five workshops which will bring up issues like responsible leadership for sustainable peace, Buddhist approaches to family issues, healthcare, education, morality, responsible consumption and the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Buddhism.
Nearly 400 speeches in English by foreign scholars and 110 others in Vietnamese will be presented at forums in the framework of the Festival. Indian Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, who is also Chairman of the Rajya Sabha - the upper house of the Parliament of India, will be the main speaker of the celebration.
Along with workshops and forums, the festival will feature Buddhist rituals, a floral lantern release, and an exhibition, among others.
A social network for Buddhists at http://butta.vn and a postage stamp to celebrate the UN Day of Vesak 2019 were launched on May 11.
Themed “Buddhist approach to global leadership and shared responsibilities for sustainable cities,” the Vesak 2019 celebration will take place from May 12-14.
It will comprise of five workshops which will bring up issues like responsible leadership for sustainable peace, Buddhist approaches to family issues, healthcare, education, morality, responsible consumption and the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Buddhism.
Nearly 400 speeches in English by foreign scholars and 110 others in Vietnamese will be presented at forums in the framework of the Festival. Indian Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, who is also Chairman of the Rajya Sabha - the upper house of the Parliament of India, will be the main speaker of the celebration.
Along with workshops and forums, the festival will feature Buddhist rituals, a floral lantern release, and an exhibition, among others.
A social network for Buddhists at http://butta.vn and a postage stamp to celebrate the UN Day of Vesak 2019 were launched on May 11.
Before, Vietnamese scholars, Buddhist dignitaries and followers highlighted the use of Buddhist philosophy as an approach to ethics education across the globe at a forum held in Ha Nam province on May 11.
The panel discussion, themed "Buddhist Approach to Global Education in Ethics", forms part of activities of the UN Day of Vesak 2019 that is underway in Tam Chuc Pagoda in Kim Bang district, the northern province of Ha Nam until May 14.
At the event, Most Venerable Thich Thanh Quyet, Head of the Vietnam Buddhism Academy in Hanoi, expressed concerns over recent social crises, saying: “given the unsettled society with numerous crises nowadays, global educations in ethics through Buddhist philosophy is the key to bring about peace for all people."
Delegates shared their knowledge and ideas on applying Buddhist philosophy in ethics education worldwide and in Vietnam. They reiterated education helps young people develop their conscience, behave properly and preserve traditional ethics values amid the global integration.
For his part, Venerable Thich Hue Dao from the Vietnam Buddhist Research Institute underlined the introduction of Buddhist moral philosophy for the sustainable development of Vietnam.
“In the light of Buddha’s teachings, Buddhist philosophy teaches people to help each other and have compassion with others. This lays a foundation for a sustainable society,” he said.
Meanwhile, Nguyen Thi Minh Hai from An Giang University, the Mekong Delta province of An Giang, suggested relevant authorities, Buddhist organisations and institutions take advantage of the achievements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to spread the Buddhist goodwill to more people, thus improving morality while curbing conflicts and social evils worldwide.
Delegates also brought on international lessons and experience in applying Buddhist philosophy in education to change social behaviors in many countries, suggesting the practice be applied in Vietnam.
The panel discussion, themed "Buddhist Approach to Global Education in Ethics", forms part of activities of the UN Day of Vesak 2019 that is underway in Tam Chuc Pagoda in Kim Bang district, the northern province of Ha Nam until May 14.
At the event, Most Venerable Thich Thanh Quyet, Head of the Vietnam Buddhism Academy in Hanoi, expressed concerns over recent social crises, saying: “given the unsettled society with numerous crises nowadays, global educations in ethics through Buddhist philosophy is the key to bring about peace for all people."
Delegates shared their knowledge and ideas on applying Buddhist philosophy in ethics education worldwide and in Vietnam. They reiterated education helps young people develop their conscience, behave properly and preserve traditional ethics values amid the global integration.
For his part, Venerable Thich Hue Dao from the Vietnam Buddhist Research Institute underlined the introduction of Buddhist moral philosophy for the sustainable development of Vietnam.
“In the light of Buddha’s teachings, Buddhist philosophy teaches people to help each other and have compassion with others. This lays a foundation for a sustainable society,” he said.
Meanwhile, Nguyen Thi Minh Hai from An Giang University, the Mekong Delta province of An Giang, suggested relevant authorities, Buddhist organisations and institutions take advantage of the achievements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to spread the Buddhist goodwill to more people, thus improving morality while curbing conflicts and social evils worldwide.
Delegates also brought on international lessons and experience in applying Buddhist philosophy in education to change social behaviors in many countries, suggesting the practice be applied in Vietnam.
The 16th United Nations Day of Vesak 2019 brings together 1,650 delegates from 112 countries and territories worldwide.
This is the third time Vietnam has hosted the UN Vesak celebration. Previously, it took place in Hanoi in 2008 and the northern province of Ninh Binh in 2014.
This is the third time Vietnam has hosted the UN Vesak celebration. Previously, it took place in Hanoi in 2008 and the northern province of Ninh Binh in 2014.
The UN Vesak 2019 celebration is an important external event, contributing to improving the role of Vietnamese Buddhism in international integration and affirming Vietnam's position and responsibility for UN activities in all fields.
"Vesak", the Day of the Full Moon in the month of May, is the year’s most sacred day to the millions of Buddhists around the world. It was on the Day of Vesak two and a half millennia ago that the Buddha was born. It was also on the Day of Vesak that the Buddha attained enlightenment, and it was on the Day of Vesak that the Buddha passed away.
The UN General Assembly internationally recognised the Day of Vesak in 1999 to acknowledge the contributions Buddhism, one of the oldest religions in the world, has made to humanity. The UN Day of Vesak was first held in 2001./.
"Vesak", the Day of the Full Moon in the month of May, is the year’s most sacred day to the millions of Buddhists around the world. It was on the Day of Vesak two and a half millennia ago that the Buddha was born. It was also on the Day of Vesak that the Buddha attained enlightenment, and it was on the Day of Vesak that the Buddha passed away.
The UN General Assembly internationally recognised the Day of Vesak in 1999 to acknowledge the contributions Buddhism, one of the oldest religions in the world, has made to humanity. The UN Day of Vesak was first held in 2001./.
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All comments [ 19 ]
Việt Nam is honoured to host the United Nations Vesak Festival – a celebration of Buddha's birth, enlightenment and entrance to nirvana.
Việt Nam also aims to spread meaningful messages of compassion and wisdom in global leadership and knowledge on a sustainable society through the Vesak 2019 logo.
If you see each person’s life as a rolling wheel, no matter how large its circumference is, its contact with the ground is just a small point.
Buddha’s teaching has been inherited continuously from the past to the present and the future. This inheritance has been established not on the imposition of belief but on the awareness of reality as-it-is (yatha-bhuta) and the desire to build a better spiritual life.
Vesak 2019 will discuss the Buddhist approach of invariance yet impermanence of the current time, from responsible leadership for a sustainable society, from responsible consumption to education and family harmony; and from transformation of individual ignorance and suffering towards a sustainable society for humanity, as well as global peace and harmony.
The image of the bronze drum – a symbol of Vietnamese culture and spirit – was also incorporated in the logo of Vesak 2019 as evidence of the companionship and integration of Buddhism throughout the nation’s history and culture.
A postage stamp was launched by the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha on May 11 to celebrate the UN Day of Vesak 2019.
There are more than 14,000 pagodas, which account for more than 30 per cent of the total number of relics in Việt Nam. It's so free for religions to thrive!
The lotus is a familiar motif and has multiple layers of meaning in Buddhist culture in general and Việt Nam in particular.
Vesak 2019’s logo uses five colours of the Buddhist flag. That flag of five state-of-minds reflects the image of Tathagata’s master wisdom. The wisdom resembles the shining sun of mindfulness that sheds light on human beings and reminds us about Buddha nature existing in every one of us.
Vietnam is land for religions!
We come here to celebrate the 2019 Birth of Buddha in Việt Nam with the joint spirit of enlightenment, selflessness and compassion. We are united as one, and one with the universe.
Vietnam continues affirming that it pursues consistent policies on the freedom of religion and belief and of those who simply profess and practice their faith.
Vietnam has more than 8,000 religious festivals annually and it has hosted many international religious festivals including the 500th anniversary of the Christian Reformation in 2017 and the UN Day of Vesak Celebrations for three times in 2008, 2014, and 2019
95% of people in Vietnam are free to follow their faith. Some 27% of total population are followers of different religious sects. There are nearly 53,000 religious dignitaries and 134,000 interns working in 28,000 worship facilities.
By hosting the event from May 12-14, Vietnam shows the world that it respects and protects the freedom of belief and religion as well as non-belief and non-religion of all citizens.
A recent report on the religious situation in Vietnam released by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom contains a biased assessment and a lack of goodwill toward Vietnam.
Vietnam is a multi-belief, multi-religion country. Vietnam pursues a consistent policy of respecting and ensuring the right to freedom of religion and belief for all citizens. This is written into Vietnam's Constitution and laws, and is strictly enforced.
The practice of belief or religion is protected. Each year thousands of religious festivals and activities are organized, attracting crowds of people and official recognition from government authorities.
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