21st United Nations Day of Vesak opens in Wuxi, China

The 21st United Nations Day of Vesak opened in Wuxi, east China's Jiangsu province, on May 26, marking the first time China has hosted the event since the U.N. first officially recognized Vesak — a traditional Buddhist festival commemorating the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and nirvana.

Representatives gather on stage for the 21st United Nations Day of Vesak in Wuxi, east China's Jiangsu province, May 26, 2026. [Photo by Mi Xingang/China.org.cn]

Hosted by the International Council for the Day of Vesak (ICDV), and organized by the Buddhist Association of China (BAC) and the Buddhist Association of Jiangsu Province, the event brought together around 1,000 representatives of Buddhist communities, experts and scholars from 67 countries and regions.

Themed "Buddhist Wisdom in Promoting Global Sustainable Development and Building a Shared Future for Humanity," the four-day program includes opening and closing ceremonies, keynote speeches, panel discussions and prayer ceremonies. Participants will engage in in-depth discussions on four major topics: harnessing Buddhist wisdom for people's well-being, Buddhist contributions to common prosperity, Buddhist practices in promoting green ecology and planet protection, and Buddhist wisdom for building partnerships for global sustainable peace.

Most Venerable Prof. Dr. Phra Brahmapundit, president of the ICDV, attended the opening ceremony alongside senior Chinese officials and representatives from Buddhist communities at home and abroad.

Phra Brahmapundit said that the theme of this year's event directly addresses the many challenges people are facing today. Our world, he said, is confronting conflicts, environmental crises, inequality and profound spiritual unrest. Despite remarkable advances in science and technology, people continue to struggle with suffering rooted in greed, hatred and ignorance. For this reason, he emphasized that the Buddha's teachings remain deeply relevant and meaningful in the modern era. 

He added that Buddhist wisdom offers spiritual guidance and a meaningful foundation for sustainable development and world peace. The Buddhist mission is in line with the U.N.'s 17 sustainable development goals, and supports the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative proposed by China.

Most Venerable Yan Jue, president of the BAC, said that since Buddhism was introduced to China more than 2,000 years ago, Chinese Buddhists have continuously advanced the evolution of Buddhism with Chinese characteristics, contributing wisdom and strength to the preservation and promotion of the Buddha's teachings. He noted that the hosting of this year's United Nations Day of Vesak by the Chinese Buddhist community would further strengthen friendly exchanges between Chinese and international Buddhist communities and inspire Buddhists around the world to make new contributions toward addressing global challenges.

He also stated that the BAC is willing to strengthen exchanges with Buddhist communities internationally in areas such as talent cultivation and the digitalization of Buddhist classics, while sharing its successful experience of the localization of Buddhism in China.

"Today, Buddhism is no longer merely a religion of Asia, but a shared spiritual treasure of all humanity. Throughout history, it has built bridges of friendship and mutual understanding among diverse civilizations around the world. This irreplaceable and positive role will continue to shine with the light of wisdom on the great journey toward building a community with a shared future for humanity," said Panchen Erdeni Chos-kyi rGyal-po, vice president of the BAC and president of its Xizang branch, during the keynote speech session. He called on Buddhists around the world to unite with compassion, wisdom and the spirit of the Middle Way, gather positive forces for good, and promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. 

The World Fellowship of Buddhists adopted a resolution in 1950 to celebrate Vesak internationally. In 1999, the U.N. General Assembly officially recognized the Day of Vesak as an international observance.