Most Venerable Thich Duc Thien, Vice President and Secretary General of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s Executive Council, speaks at a press conference to announce the United Nations Day of Vesak 2025, HCM city, September 27, 2025.

Most Venerable Thich Duc Thien, Vice President and Secretary General of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s Executive Council, said that this is not only a significant Buddhist celebration but also an important diplomatic event that highlights the role of Vietnamese Buddhism in international integration and  Vietnam’s position and responsibility in the UN.

The celebration will serve as a cultural and people-to-people exchange event, offering an opportunity to showcase the image, people, and culture of Vietnam to the global community, he said.

Vesak, which commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and passing into Nirvana of Gautama Buddha, is observed on the full moon day of the fourth lunar month. In 1999, the UN General Assembly officially recognized Vesak as an international religious and cultural event.

Previous Vesak celebrations in Vietnam were held in Hanoi in 2008, Ninh Binh in 2014, and Ha Nam in 2019.