The United Nations Day of Vesak Celebrations 2025 will be held in in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

On the afternoon of September 27th, 2024, at the Vietnam Buddhist University, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, in collaboration with International Council of the United Nations Day of Vesak (ICDV), held a press conference to announce the outcomes of the first Executive Council meeting of the ICDV in preparation for the United Nations Day of Vesak 2025 in Vietnam.

According to Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, Vietnam has the honor of organizing this significant event for the fourth times in 2025, after the successful hosting of the United Nations Day of Vesak at the National Convention Center in Hanoi in 2008, at Bai Dinh Pagoda in Ninh Binh Province in 2014, and at Tam Chuc Pagoda in Ha Nam Province in 2019.

This celebration will be an opportunity for Buddhist leaders to meet, interact, and exchange, while spreading the Buddha's message of peace, harmony, progress, and development.

The 20th United Nations Day of Vesak Celebrations 2025 is expected to take place from May 6 to May 8, 2025, at the Vietnam Buddhist University in Ho Chi Minh City, with the participation of representatives from 80 countries around the world.

The main theme of this year is “Unity and Inclusivity for Human Dignity: Buddhist Insights for World Peace and Sustainable Development”

Besides, five sub-themes of the Celebration include: (1) Cultivating Inner Peace for World Peace; (2) Forgiveness and Mindful Healing: A Path to Reconciliation; (3) Buddhist Compassion in Action: Shared Responsibility for Human Development; (4) Mindfulness in Education for a Compassionate and Sustainable Future; (5) Fostering Unity: Collaborative Efforts for Global Harmony.

The first preparatory meeting for the United Nations Day of Vesak (UNDV) 2025 took place from September 27-28, 2024 at the Vietnam Buddhist University in Ho Chi Minh City with the participation of Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, major leaders of the Executive Council and ICDV from 10 countries: Thailand, Sri Lanka, the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Norway, China, Korea, Myanmar and Vietnam; and a couple delegates of ICDV attended online.

Most Venerable Thich Duc Thien, Vice President and General Secretary of Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, stated that “Vesak is an important diplomatic event that helps enhance the role of Vietnamese Buddhism in international integration, at the same time affirming Vietnam's position and responsibility towards the United Nations' commitments.”

In addition to festive and religious programmes, an international scientific conference within the UN Vesak 2025 framework in Ho Chi Minh city is expected to welcome about 2,000 official delegates, including 1,000 international guests. Among them will be several heads of state, leaders of United Nations agencies, leaders of Buddhist Sanghas and sects, scholars, and researchers.

The theme of the Vesak Celebration contributes to expressing the spirit of solidarity and resilience of the Vietnamese people on the occasions of the 50th anniversary of National Reunification and the 80th anniversary of the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

The concept of “Inclusivity” in the 2025 Vesak theme conveys a message that emphasizes humanity and equality of all beings. This theme is also linked to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, “Leaving no one behind.”

According to Most venerable Thich Duc Thien, this year's Vesak Celebration will take place in Ho Chi Minh City. It will serve as a special occasion to express the companionship of Vietnamese Buddhism with the nation, with the motto “Buddhism - Nation - Socialism,” in celebration of the 50th anniversary of National Reunification.