Home > Wesak 2006

<< Chairwoman of HCM City People's Council Pham Phuong Thao visits the municipal Buddhist Sangha.

In Hanoi, Buddhist followers will enjoy celebrations in over 590 pagodas through May 12 (or the 15th day of the fourth month of the lunar calendar).

On May 9, Hanoi authorities paid visits and presented gifts to high dignitaries who head pagodas that used to be revolutionary bases in the wars. The same day, Ho Chi Minh City authorities also visited dignitaries of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, the Vietnam Buddhist Academy and the municipal Buddhist Sangha.

2006 is the first year that the Lord Buddha's birthday has been recognised by the United Nations Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as a world religious festival, and also the 25th anniversary of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.

Grand ceremonies with various worship activities also took place in other provinces such as Vinh Phuc and Quang Ninh in the north, Ninh Thuan in the centre and An Giang in the south.

In the central province of Quang Nam, officials from the local Fatherland Front and the Committee for Religious Affairs met with Buddhist dignitaries in the province on May 9 on the occasion of Buddha's 2630th birth anniversary and the 2550-year Buddhist calendar.

Over the recent past, the Executive Board of the provincial Buddhist Sangha has encouraged Buddhist followers take part in patriotic emulation movements and implement the State's policies, contributing to socio-economic development and maintaining security in the province. Buddhist followers have also actively taken part in social and humanitarian activities.

Many pagodas and monasteries have been upgraded and built in Quang Nam.On this occasion, the province has sent delegations to visit and present gifts to Buddhist dignitaries.