President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is scheduled to undertake an official visit to Vietnam early next month to participate in the 20th United Nations Day of Vesak.
This year’s UN Vesak celebrations will be held under the theme, “Unity and Inclusivity for Human Dignity: Buddhist Insights for World Peace and Sustainable Development.”
The event is set to take place in Ho Chi Minh City from May 6 to 8, with approximately 2,700 delegates expected to attend, including 1,250 international guests representing 85 countries and territories.
In addition to Sri Lanka, high-level delegations from India, Nepal, Laos, and Cambodia are also expected to participate.
During his stay in Vietnam, President Dissanayake will also have the opportunity to view special Buddha relics, brought from the Mulaghandha Kuty Vihara in Sarnath, built by Anagarika Dharmapala. These relics, held by the Maha Bodhi Society of India, are being taken to Vietnam for the first time and will be exhibited across the country for a week. The Vietnamese government had requested these relics through the Government of India.
The UN International Vesak Day was originally proposed by former Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar and was formally adopted in 1999.
This year’s celebration also holds special significance for Sri Lanka-Vietnam relations, as it coincides with the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two nations.
