One of the highlights of the UN Day of Vesak 2025 is an exhibition that unveils 87 Buddhist artifacts designated as national treasures, said Venerable Thich Duc Thien, vice president and general secretary of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, at the press briefing.

The exhibition, due to open at the take place at the Vietnam Buddhist Academy II in Ho Chi Minh City on May 5 morning, aims to honor Vietnam's rich Buddhist heritage spanning various historical periods, he said.

Simultaneously, four research projects on Buddhist language, rituals, monastic attire, and architectural heritage will also be announced.

Following the exhibition’s opening will be a flag-raising ceremony with a 500-meter-long Buddhist flag and a signature activity on a hot air balloon, symbolising the presence of delegates and attendees.

Also on May 2, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha inaugurated the press centre at the Vietnam Buddhist Academy II. Venerable Thich Duc Thien said the centre was set up in just two days, with equipment support from ho Chi Minh City’s departments and agencies, to provide optimal conditions for press coverage of the Vesak celebration.

The series of Vesak-related events also includes a cultural performance night with the particioation of local artists and international art troupes from China, India, Thailand, the Republic of Korea, and Mongolia, among others.

A traditional tea ceremony will take place in a dedicated space for monastics and international delegates to relax and enjoy regional specialties.

On May 6 evening, a lantern-release ceremony with 35,000 lotus lanterns and 12,000 participants will be held at the lake in Lang Le Park near the Vietnam Buddhist Academy II. The event includes a meditation walk and a prayer ceremony for world peace and national well-being.

Lord Buddha’s sarira, a sacred treasure of India, was brought from India to Vietnam on May 2 for the Vesak celebration. The relic was escoted to the Vietnam Buddhist Academy II and then enshrined at Thanh Tam Pagoda in Binh Chanh district for public veneration.

The United Nations Day of Vesak 2025, themed “Solidarity and Tolerance for Human Dignity: Buddhist Wisdom for World Peace and Sustainable Development,” will take place from May 6 to 8, with more than 2,700 participants from 85 countries and territories worldwide.

Lord Buddha’s sarira now open for public veneration in Vietnam

VOV.VN - Lord Buddha’s sarira, a sacred treasure of India, has arrived in Vietnam and is open for public veneration at Thanh Tam pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City from May 3.