The 20th United Nations Vesak Festival will take place in Ho Chi Minh City

Venerable Thich Thanh Phong welcomed Venerable Dr. Tampalawela Dhammaratana (French nationality), President of Frankfurt Buddhist Academy, Vice President of ICDV at Tan Son Nhat International Airport. Photo: Provided by the Organizing Committee.

The 2025 United Nations (UN) Vesak Celebration is scheduled to take place from May 8 to 10, 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City with the theme: "Solidarity, Unity and Cooperation: Buddhism for World Peace and Sustainable Development".

According to Venerable Thich Thanh Phong - representative of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, at 8:00 a.m. on September 27, the agenda will begin. The venue for this event is expected to be the Vietnam Buddhist Academy, campus 2 in Ho Chi Minh City (Le Minh Xuan commune, Binh Chanh district).

It is known that in 1999, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution recognizing Vesak Day as an international cultural and religious festival of the UN, popularized worldwide. In 2001, the UN Vesak Festival was held for the first time at the UN headquarters in New York, USA with the participation of 34 countries.

In 2008, the Vesak Festival was first held at the My Dinh National Convention Center ( Hanoi ) with 4,000 guests from 74 countries and territories. In 2014, the Vesak Festival was held for the second time at Bai Dinh Pagoda (Ninh Binh Province), with 1,500 delegates from 100 countries, including 8,500 delegates from Vietnam. In 2019, the Vesak Festival was held for the third time at Tam Chuc Pagoda (Ha Nam Province).

The 20th Vesak Festival will be held for the fourth time in Vietnam and for the first time in Ho Chi Minh City, associated with major events: the 50th anniversary of National Reunification Day (1975-2025) and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the country (1945-2025).

ICDV was established by the Most Venerable, Prof. Dr. Phra Brahmapundit as Chairman. On the Vietnamese side, ICDV was attended by Prof. Dr. Le Manh That - Vice President of the Vietnam Buddhist Academy in Ho Chi Minh City, Vice President of IABU (International Association of Buddhist Universities).

Welcoming room for ICDV leaders to Ho Chi Minh City to attend the first meeting of ICDV with the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha. Photo: Organizing Committee.

In the program of the first meeting of ICDV and the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha for the 20th Vesak Festival, the President and the Standing members of ICDV will meet with the Supreme Patriarch of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha - Most Venerable Thich Tri Quang at the Vietnam National Pagoda as well as pay a courtesy visit to the leaders of Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday afternoon (September 28). The first meeting is expected to end in the evening of the same day.

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/dai-le-vesak-lien-hop-quoc-lan-thu-20-se-dien-ra-tai-tp-hcm-10291178.html