The ceremony, held at Ba Den Mountain, the highest peak in southern Vietnam, reflected the shared hope for peace of Vietnamese Buddhists and the global Buddhist community.

Most Venerable Thich Thanh Nhieu, Vice President of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha's Executive Council, said the ceremony is a symbolic spiritual activity and a message of compassion, a deep prayer from the hearts of millions of people for a world without war and hatred, where all living beings can live in love.

“Each candle lit tonight is a flame of hope, a light of love, a message of goodwill and solidarity. From the peak of Ba Den Mountain, that light will spread everywhere, beyond all borders to connect the hearts of peace-loving people around the world,” he said. 

Earlier in the day, Buddha Shakyamuni’s relics were formally enshrined at the Buddhist Exhibition Center on the mountain, where they will remain on display for public worship through next Tuesday.

Senior monks and representatives from 80 countries planted 108 Bodhi trees at the site on Thursday. The saplings, grafted from India’s Bodh Gaya, were individually numbered and designated for each international delegation attending Vesak 2025 in Vietnam.