14th United Nations Day of Vesak 2017

For the first time in Sri Lanka the 14th United Nations Day of Vesak 2017, Conference will be held in Colombo and Kandy from May 12 to 14 with the participation of a large number of local and foreign delegations. The main theme focuses on “Buddhist Teachings for Social Justice and Sustainable World Peace”.

Vesak is the main Buddhist religious festival in Sri Lanka. During this time, people celebrate the triple anniversary of the Buddha - his birth, attaining of Enlightenment and attaining Nirvana. It was a big achievement for Sri Lanka to have the UN willingly approve the holding of this sublime celebration in Sri Lanka.

It is a matter of great delight for us to hold this significant event in a befitting manner with the guidance and counselling of Most Venerable Mahanyake Theras of the three Chapters and also with the able and astute participation of the President, the Prime Minister o and Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, Minister of Justice and Buddhasasana, world leaders and leaders from diverse organisations.

Sri Lanka is the most noteworthy contributor to International Vesak Day. Prof. Gunapala Piyasena Malalasekera initiated and inspired a meeting of global Buddhists in 1950 CE (Buddhist Era 2493) in Sri Lanka resulting in the inauguration of the World Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB) on May 25, 1950 (2493BE) at the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy. This meeting was attended by 129 Buddhist delegates from 27 countries in Asia, Europe and America.

At this meeting, the Buddhist Flag was formally accepted and Ven. Piyarathana recommended that Vesak Day should be accepted globally as a Buddhist celebration, a proposal which was accepted and followed by the Global Buddhist fraternity. Buddhism during its existence over two millennia had developed into 3 schools – Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayna, all disciples and believers of the Sakyamuni Buddha. Prof. G.P. Malalasekera could unite all three schools of Buddhism within the World Fellowship of Buddhism and became the first president of WFB from 1950 to 1958.

Lakshman Kadirgamar too was a pioneer in making Vesak Day as an ‘Optional Holiday’ at the United Nations for the first time under its resolution 69/250/ at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 1999, requesting for the adaptation of “Vesak Day” on September 23, 1999 and at the 79th Plenary Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on December 15, 1999.

Previous UN Vesak Day celebrations

The UN Vesak Day was conducted 13 times under various themes.

The first International Buddhist Conference on the United Nations Day of Vesak was on May 25, 2004 in Thailand.

The 2nd UN day of Vesak was held on May 18th to 21st, 2005 at Sanamluang, Buddhamothon and United Nations Centre for the Pacific.

The 3rd UN day of Vesak celebration was held on May 7th - 10th, 2006, at the United Nations for Asia Pacific Hall and Buddhamonthon in Bangkok, Thailand.

The 4th UN day of Vesak was held on May 26th to 29th, 2007. It was solemnly held at the United Nations Hall for Asia Pacific and Buddhamonthon in Bangkok with the participants from 61 countries and regions.

The 4th United Nations Day of Vesak (UNDV) was held in Hanoi, Vietnam from May 13-17th in 2008. This was the first ever biggest International Buddhist conference that was held in Vietnam.

The celebrations drew a gathering of 4,500-including Buddhist leaders from all traditions, leading scholars, state dignitaries and practitioners from all around the world, and in Vietnam.

The 6th UN day of Vesak was held on May 18th to 19th, 2009 in Bangkok and at the Phutthamonthon in Nakhon Pathom.

The 7th UN day of Vesak was held on May 23th – 25th, 2010, at the Conference Hall of the Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Main Campus, Wang Noi, Ayutthaya and United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok, Thailand .

The 8th UN day of Vesak was held on May 12th – 14th, 2011, at the Conference Hall Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Main Campus, Wang Noi, Ayutthaya and United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok, Thailand.

The 9th UN day of Vesak was held on May 31st to June 2nd, 2012, at the Conference Hall Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Main Campus, Wang Noi, Ayutthaya and United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok, Thailand.

The 10th UN day of Vesak was held on May 21th - 22th, 2013. at the United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok, Thailand.

The 11th UN day of Vesak was held on May 7th to 11th, 2014. At Cat Bai Dinh temple, Ninh Binh, Vietnam.

The 12th UN day of Vesak was held on May 28th - 30th, 2015 at Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University (MCU), Wang Noi, Ayutthaya and United Nations Convention Centre Bangkok, Thailand.

The 13th UN day of Vesak was held on May 22nd to 23rd, 2016 at the Conference Hall Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Main Campus, Wang Noi, Ayutthaya and United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok, Thailand.

Th 14th UN day of Vesak will be held on May 12th to 14th, 2017 in Colombo and Kandy at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall, the Nelum Pokuna, Diyatha Uyana and the Sri Dalada Maligava in Kandy.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 14th UN Vesak day main event at the BMICH tomorrow (12). Over 1.2 billion people will watch the Indian Prime Minister participating in the Vesak celebrations

President of Nepal Bidhya Devi Bhandari will attend the closing ceremony of the UN Vesak Day celebration in Kandy on May 14.

Minister of Justice and Buddha Sasana  Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe receiving  a Memento from the Most Venerable Prof. Dr.  Phra Brahmapundit Rector, Mahachulalongkornraja vidyalaya University and Supreme Sangha Council of Thailand.