History

of the United Nations Day of Vesak

The Day of Vesak marks the birth, the Enlightenment and the demise of the Buddha. His birth heralded man’s deliverance from suffering. His enlightenment was the discovery of the Truth notably the Four Noble truths and the Law of Dependent Origination. His demise was wake-up for the Right Mindfulness.

The three major events in the life of the Buddha signal the birth of Buddhism, a great phenomenon in the history of mankind. For this reason many Buddhist countries such as Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Laos observe the day.

The commemoration of the Day of Vesak by Buddhists everywhere in the world aims to worship and honor the Compassion, the Wisdom and the Purity of the Buddha who taught humanity to be kind and tolerant towards each other, qualities which foster world peace.

In November 1998, at the International Buddhist Conference in Colombo, Sri Lanka, all member countries unanimously expressed the intention to gain International Recognition for the Day of Vesak, a symbol of the birth of Buddhism.

United Nations representatives of the following Buddhist countries : Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Laos, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand, proposed to the UN General Assembly to adopt the resolution for the international Recognition of the Day of Vesak.

On 15 December 1999, the Plenary Meeting of the UN General Assembly at its 54th session considered the agenda item 174 and adopted the draft resolution for the International Recognition of the Day of Vesak and for the appropriate arrangements for its observe\ance at the UN Headquaters and other offices of the UN. 34 countries sponsored the draft resolution.

Since the year 2000, on that most auspicious day the full-moon in the sixth lunar month of the Day of Vesak, Buddhist countries have joined in the commemorative event at the UN Headquaters. Sri Lanka took the lead to coordinate the event in 2000 and 2001, followed by Myanmar in 2202, India in 2003. Thailand had the honor of hosting the event in 2004.

The eleventh UN Day of Vesak Celebration (2014 / 2557)
On 8^th to 11^th May 2014. At Cat Bai Dinh temple, Ninh Binh, Vietnam. Chairman of the International Organizing Committee for United Nations Day of Vesak 2014 is Most Venerable Thich Thanh Nhieu and Secretary General is Most Venerable Thich Duc Thien.

Theme of workshop in 2014 is
“Buddhist Contribution towards Achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals”.

Workshops include subthemes:
(i) Buddhist Response to Sustainable Development and Social Change.
(ii) Buddhist Response to Global Warming and Environmental Protection.
(iii) Buddhist Contributions to Healthy Living.
(iv) Peace-building and Post-Conflict Recovery.
(v) Buddhist Education and University Level Curriculum.

The tenth UN Day of Vesak Celebration (2013 / 2556)
On 20^th - 22^th May 2013. At United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok, The Kingdom of Thailand. In general house of the world, right is made a global citizen who helps human being has a lot of opportunities understanding the world, improve their knowledge of technology and social sciences, career achievement. By wisdom of Buddhism, human being needs to practise meditation, overcome consumer lifestyle, fast living, simultaneously development of moral responsibility in the relationship between oneself and people.

Theme of workshop in 2013 is
“Buddhist Perspective on Education and Global Citizenship”.

The ninth UN Day of Vesak Celebration (2012 / 2555)
Buddhajayanti: The Celebration of 2600 Years of the Buddha's Enlightenment.

On 31^th May to 2^th June 2012, At Conference Hall Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Main Campus, Wang Noi, Ayutthaya and United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok, The Kingdom of Thailand. The participants were Mahinda Rajapaksa - President of Sri Lanka and Yingluck Shinawatra - Minister of Thailand. There were also about 800 international delegates from over 80 countries.

The UN Day of Vesak 2012 brings a lot of meanings compared with previous years because this was the year which was marked 2,600 years of the Buddha’s enlightenment and also celebrating the 80^th Auspicious Birthday Anniversary of Kingdom’s mother and the 60^th of His Thailand Majesty Prince.

Main theme of workshop in 2012 is
“The Buddha’s Enlightenment for the Well-being of Humanity

Workshops include subthemes:
(i) Buddhist Wisdom and Reconciliation.
(ii) Buddhist Wisdom and Environment.
(iii) Buddhist Wisdom and Human Transformation.

The eighth UN Day of Vesak Celebration (2011 / 2554)

On 12^th – 14^th May 2011, At Conference Hall Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Main Campus, Wang Noi, Ayutthaya and United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok, The Kingdom of Thailand. There were 5,000 Buddhist delegates, among over 1,700 delegates who were foreigner from 85 countries and territories participated this Vesak Celebration.

Main theme of the workshop in 2011 is
“Virtues in Socio-Economic Development”.

Workshops included
(i) Buddhist Leadership and Socio-Economic Development.
(ii) Building a Harmonious Society.
(iii) Environmental Preservation and Restoration.
(iv) Wisdom for Awakening Society.
(v) Common Buddhist Text.
(vi) Buddhist Virtues in Socio-Economic Development.

The seventh UN Day of Vesak Celebration (2010 / 2553)
On 23^th – 25^th May 2010, At Conference Hall Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Main Campus, Wang Noi, Ayutthaya and United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok, The Kingdom of Thailand

The seventh UN Day of Vesak Celebration was hosted by Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya Universityof Thailand and The Inner Trip Reiyukai International (ITRI), Japan at Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Ayutthaya, ThaiLand. There were 3,000 Buddhist participants including World Buddhist leaders and Buddhist researchers.

Main theme of the workshop in 2010 is
“Recovery of world from Buddhist Vision”

with sub-themes include:
(i) Recovery of world through mindfulness peace
(ii) Recovery of world through Buddhist Education
(iii) Recovery of world through community existence in harmony
(iv)Recovery of ecological world through Buddhism, and
(v)Recovery of world through Engaged Buddhism

The sixth UN Day of Vesak Celebration (2009 / 2552)

On 4^th-6^th May 2009, At Conference Hall Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Main Campus, Wang Noi, Ayutthaya and United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok, The Kingdom of Thailand.

This celebration is a gathering opportunity of 1256 delegates over 80 countries around the world with Buddhist scholars and supreme religious leaders around the world jointly discuss and contribute ideas in order to apply Dharma in daily life and solve global current problems

Main theme of the workshop in 2009 is
“Buddhist Response to Global Crisis”

with sub-themes include:
(i) Buddhist Response to Environment Crisis.
(ii) Buddhist Response to Economic Crisis.
(iii) Buddhist Response to Politic Crisis and Peace Development.

The fifth UN Day of Vesak Celebration (2008 / 2551)

On 14^th to 17^th May 2008, The fifth UN Day of Vesak is first held in Vietnam at National Centre USA – Ha Noi, from 14^th to 17^th May 2008 with the participation of 4,000 official national and international delegates from 74 countries and territories, including the Buddhist leaders, scholars, Buddhist researchers and representatives of the United Nations, UNESCO and international organizations.

Emphasis :
(i) Role of Buddhism in prevention of conflict and war.
(ii) Buddhist Contribution on Social Justice
(iii) Engaged Buddhism and Development
(iv) Care for Our Environment: Buddhist Response to Climate Change
(v) Family Problems and the Buddhist Response
(vi) Symposium on Buddhist Education Continuity and Progress
(vii) Symposium on Buddhism in the Digital Age

Celebration was also a honour to greet party leaders, State, Government, National Assembly and national and local boards jointly Witness Council of National Buddhist Sangha, Executive Council of National Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, monks, nuns, typical Buddhists of the NVBS in nation and abroad.

The fourth UN Day of Vesak Celebration (2007 / 2550)

On 26^th to 29^th May 2007, the fourth UN Day of Vesak was solemnly held at the United Nations Hall for Asia Pacific and Buddhamonthon with participants from 61 countries and regions. Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, in conjunction with ICDV and the Sangha Supreme Council hosted the 4^th International Buddhist Conference on the United Nations Day of Vesak at Buddhamonthon, Nakhon Pathom Province, and at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok, The Kingdom of Thailand.

On 29^th May 2007, during the closing ceremony, after considering the petition of the National Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and hosted registration letter of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, Most Venerable Dharmakosajarn based on the Charter of the UN Day of Vesak Celebrations to officially declare before 500 Buddhist delegates from 62 countries that the Socialist Republic of Vietnam will be a hosted country for the UN Day of Vesak Celebration in year 2008.

Emphasis : Buddhism and good governance, and marks the Auspicious Occasion of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 80th Birthday Anniversary.

The third UN Day of Vesak Celebration (2006 / 2549)

On 7-10^th May 2006, at the United Nations for Asia Pacific Hall and Buddhamonthon, the third Vesak Day was held and is jointly celebrating the 60th Anniversary of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej's Accession to the Throne. Buddhist leaders from 48 countries attended this International Buddhist Conference. Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University and ICDV, in conjunction with the Sangha Supreme Council and the Thai Government hosted the 3^rd International Buddhist Conference on the United Nations Day of Vesak at Buddhamonthon, Nakhon Pathom Province, and at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok, The Kingdom of Thailand.

Emphasis : World peace, cooperation between all schools of Buddhism, sustainable development, and the sufficiency-economy theories of H.M.King Bhumibol.

The second UN Day of Vesak Celebration (2005 / 2548)

On 18^th to 21^th May 2005, During the plenary conference in April 2005, the Supreme Sangha Council of Thailand was appointed the Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University as organizer of the UN Day of Vesak 2005 for the second time. Result is from 18th to 21^st May 2005, the IBC was held to mark the Vesak week in Sanamluang, Buddhamonthon and the United Nations Centre for Asia Pacific. In a joint statement for the same year, Buddhist leaders from 42 countries approved Buddhamonthon as a Centre of World Buddhism, and Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University to be continued as a coordinator of the UN Day of Vesak Celebrations

Emphasis :To promote and support sustainable development; resolve that Buddhamonthon, The Kingdom of Thailand should be recognized as the Center of world Buddhism; play a leading role in coordinating between Buddhist institutions and in promoting and sharing Dhamma resources.

The first United Nations Day of Vesak Celebration (2004 / 2547)

On 25 May 2004, The UN Day of Vesak Celebration, International Buddhist Conference (IBC) was supported by Thailand Royal Government and Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University held the celebration at Buddhamonthon Buddhist centre, with participation of over 35 countries and hundreds of International Buddhist delegations. In June of 2004, the Vesak celebration activities were held at the United Nations Headquarters, New York, USA. In July of the same year, the IBC on theme “Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism” was held at the Buddhamonthon Conference Hall, under support of Government of Thailand and approval of the Supreme Sangha Council of Thailand. At this historical conference, the attended countries approved Thailand which will be hosted the UN Day of Vesak Celebration in year 2005.

Emphasis : To study, practice, propagate and protect Buddhism and to jointly organize the Vesak Day celebration at the United Nations Headquaters and at the UN regional offices.