Present at the conference included Most Venerable Thích Gia Quang, Vice President of the VBS Central Executive Council cum Chairman of the VBS central Committee on Information and Communication, Seniour Venerable Thích Đức Thiện, Vice President cum Secretary General of the VBS executive council, Most Venerable Thích Huệ Thông, Deputy General Secretary cum Chief of the Southern Office of the VBS executive council,  Seniour Venerable Thích Nhật Từ, Member of the Buddhist executive council cum Vice Chairman of the VBS Committee for International Budhist Affairs, and Dr. Bùi Hữu Dược, Director of the Buddhist Affairs under Government Committee for Religious Affairs.

Dr. Bùi Hữu Dược responds to a reporter’s question

At the event, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha announced that it is ready for the celebration of the United Nations Day of Vesak 2019 hosted at Tam Chuc Buddhist Center (Kim Bang district, Ha Nam province).

So far, as announced at the press meeting, 500 delegations from 105 countries and territories have confirmed their participation in the UN Day of Vesak 2019 in Vietnam, including the President of Myanmar, the Prime Minister of Nepal, the Vice President of India, the Vice President of the Senate of Bhutan, the UN Deputy General and several countries’ ministers, and some 60 ambassadors and representatives of international organisations in Vietnam. Some 398 presentations in English from foreign scholars and 110 others by Vietnamese scholars have been sent to the UN Buddhist event.

The UN Vesak Day 2019 will have group discussion panels around the main theme “Buddhist approach to global leadership and shared responsibilities for sustainable societies”, as well as Buddhist and cultural events, including the bathing of the Buddha ritual, a lantern floating ceremony praying for peace, photo exhibitions and art performances.

Speaking at the press conference, Dr. Bùi Hữu Dược, Director of the Buddhist Affairs under Government Committee for Religious Affairs informed of the Vietnam Government’s efforts in supporting the Vietnam Buddhist church to successfully host the UN Day of Vesak 2019 in Vietnam. According to  Director Bùi Hữu Dược, a inter - ministerial working group has been set up for assisting the organization of the UN Buddhist event hosted by the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, and this working group has been implementing specific plans aimed at ensuring security and creating favorable conditions for UN Vesak events and celebrations.

A journalist raises questions at the press conference.

PTT