Speaking at the opening ceremony, State President Luong Cuong highlighted the significance of the UN Day of Vesak Celebration 2025 and its organization that has a profound effect, following the grand ceremony celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification, presenting a powerful symbol of the Vietnamese people’s aspiration for peace and reconciliation and their journey to overcome hatred, division, and separation, put the past behind, and look toward the future for solidarity, harmony, and prosperity.
On behalf of the Party and State leadership of Vietnam, State President Luong Cuong warmly welcomed and highly appreciated the presence of heads of state and government, representatives of international organizations, and esteemed Sangha dignitaries from countries and territories, along with Vietnamese monks, nuns, and Buddhist followers at home and abroad, presenting the spirit of solidarity, compassion, and harmony—the core values of Buddhism taught directly by the Buddha.
He wished all attendees good health and a peaceful Vesak season, with faith in a bright, peaceful, and happy future for mankind, and expressed his best wishes for the success of the 2025 United Nations Day of Vesak.
 "State President Luong Cuong and delegates attend the opening ceremony of the UN Day of Vesak Celebration 2025. (Photo: SGGP)")
Vesak Day, also known as Buddha’s Birthday or Sakyamuni Day, not only marks the birth of Sakyamuni but also symbolizes the simultaneous occurrence of three major events in the life of the Buddha: the birth, enlightenment (awakening), and nirvana (passing away) of Sakyamuni. It is not only a day of profound spiritual significance for millions of Buddhists around the world but also an occasion for all people to reflect upon and spread the noble values of Buddhism: compassion, wisdom, and peace.
The President highly appreciated the theme of the 2025 United Nations Day of Vesak, “Solidarity and Tolerance for Human Dignity: Buddhist Wisdom for World Peace and Sustainable Development,” and noted that this is a profoundly meaningful message in the current international context in which the world is facing numerous challenges such as conflict, inequality, and more. He highlighted the significance of the UN Day of Vesak Celebration 2025 and its organization, which has a profound effect, following the grand ceremony celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification.
According to the State President, Vietnam is a country with a long-standing Buddhist tradition deeply intertwined with its history of national building and defense, he said, stressing that for over 2,000 years, Buddhism has become an inseparable part of Vietnamese cultural and spiritual life. Throughout the ups and downs of history, Vietnamese Buddhism has always upheld the spirit of "protecting the nation and bringing peace to the people," with the Dharma walking alongside the nation. Values such as patriotism, tolerance, and the pursuit of goodness embedded in Buddhism have deeply influenced the Vietnamese soul and shaped the nation's cultural identity.
Today, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha is continuing to carry out the tradition, actively contributing to the national development and defense. Tens of thousands of monks, nuns, and Buddhist followers across the country are not only dedicated to preserving and propagating Buddha's teachings but also take the lead in many social charitable activities, such as poverty reduction, disaster relief, environmental protection, and public healthcare, contributing to the country’s sustainable development, he stressed.
The State President affirmed that the Party and State of Vietnam always highly value and create favorable conditions for all religions, including Buddhism, to operate within the framework of the law. Vietnam consistently upholds a policy of respecting and protecting the right to freedom of belief and religion for all people, considering it a fundamental pillar in building the great national unity bloc.
The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s hosting of the 2025 United Nations Day of Vesak demonstrates that Vietnamese Buddhism is not only deeply connected with the nation but is also actively contributing to international Buddhist affairs. Monks, nuns, and Buddhist followers of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha have been, are, and will continue to join hands with the global Buddhist community in serving the Dharma and humanity for the common goals of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development.
Regarding the current global context and the years ahead, the President emphasized that peace, cooperation, and development remain the prevailing trends. In the face of growing difficulties and challenges, such as war, conflict, climate change, inequality, poverty, natural disasters, and global pandemics, the people need to strengthen solidarity, cooperation, and mutual respect and to join hands with each other in an effort for a world of peace, sustainable development, and human dignity.
The theme of the 2025 United Nations Day of Vesak reflects the UN's strong commitment to broadening social activities for a world of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development. It also shows the aspirations and vision of the era by linking Buddhist values with global initiatives such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
As the host country, State President Luong Cuong expressed his belief that the 2025 United Nations Day of Vesak in Vietnam will achieve great success.
He hoped that the delegates would share valuable experiences and actively make outstanding contributions aligned with the theme of Vesak 2025, as well as gain a deeper understanding of Vietnam and its people, and through the wisdom of Buddhism, build a world of peace, compassion, and sustainable development.
The United Nations Day of Vesak Celebration 2025 is an important diplomatic event, contributing to enhancing the role of Vietnamese Buddhism in international integration and affirming Vietnam's position and responsibility. The event is also an opportunity to promote the images, the land, the people, and the culture of Vietnam to the world. It is the fourth time that Vietnam has hosted the Vesak Celebration. The previous celebrations took place in Hanoi in 2008, Ninh Binh Province in 2014, and Ha Nam Province in 2019.
