Vesak is one of the most important celebrations of the Buddhist calendar. It is celebrated annually on the full moon of the 4th month of the Lunar Calendar across South and Southeast Asia, as well as in other countries and regions with significant Buddhist populations like China, Mongolia, Korea and Japan.
The 2025 Vesak celebration in Vietnam takes place from the 28th April to 12th May, with the official opening ceremony held on May 6, 2025.
A Buddhist Holiday
The significance of Vesak is also a matter of theological debate, with some schools claiming it represents the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha within a day, while others claim Vesak represents the birth of the Buddha with his death and enlightenment being celebrated at separate dates.
In any case, the festival is defined by massive ceremonies, where monks and clergy open temples to the public for mass gatherings. The laypeople bring offerings to the Buddha and temples, and the monks and clergy bless them for their efforts.
Vesak is generally a time in Buddhist culture where the faithful engage in as many “good acts” as possible. This involves following a vegetarian (chay) diet, abstaining from alcohol and mercy releases (releasing animals held in captivity).
Followers of Buddhism are also encouraged to dress in simple white clothing and practice meditation as often as possible, as well as giving alms to monks and offerings to temples and the Buddha.
Vesak In Vietnam
Vesak is of particular importance to the Vietnamese Buddhist community.
During the rule of Ngô Đình Diệm’s, the celebration of the holiday was banned in an effort to Christianize South Vietnam. This came to a culmination on May 8th 1963, when 3000 protestors gathered in Huế to protest Diệm’s ban on the Buddhist flag.
After Reunification, Vesak remains a popular religious festival, with people celebrating at their local temple with vegetarian feasts, traditional music and dance, and engaging in charitable activity and volunteering as well as mindful acts like meditation.
Since 1999, the United Nations has officially recognized Vesak as an international spiritual and cultural festival.
Thousands Took Part in 4-Km Parade to Celebrate Vesak This Year
The United Nations Day of Vesak has been held 20 times so far. In 2025, Vietnam is hosting the celebration for the fourth time, following previous events in Hanoi (2008), Ninh Binh (2014), and Ha Nam (2019).
The United Nations Day of Vesak 2025 kicked off at the Vietnam Buddhist Academy in Ho Chi Minh City on May 6. This year’s theme is "Unity and Inclusivity for Human Dignity: Buddhist Insights for World Peace and Sustainable Development."
On the evening of May 5th, thousands of devotees took part in a four-kilometer procession in Ho Chi Minh City to celebrate Vesak.
As the procession moved along Ba Thang Hai Street, the golden statue was followed by a long line of devotees. People gathered on both sides of the street, offering prayers and showing respect as the statue passed by.
The procession covered a four-kilometer route, starting from An Quang Pagoda and passing through Su Van Hanh, Ngo Gia Tu, Ly Thai To Roundabout, Dien Bien Phu, Cao Thang, and Ba Thang Hai Streets before reaching Viet Nam Quoc Tu.
Monks carried statues of the newborn Buddha standing atop lotus flowers, a sacred symbol in Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, the Buddha took seven steps right after his birth, with each step miraculously creating a lotus flower.
About U.N. Day of Vesak 2025
Date: May 6th to 8th in Ho Chi Minh City.
Location: Viet Nam Quoc Tu, Ba Thang Hai Street, District 10, HCMC.
This year’s Vesak celebration featured a variety of activities — from the Buddha’s sarira (sacred relic) viewing, to a Buddhist art exhibition and a vibrant food festival.