Vesak Day 2022

The Vesak Day celebration, led by the UN Resident Coordinator a.i. Richard Howard, saw participation from Her Excellency Himali Aruna Tilak, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Nepal, Venerables from Ananda Kuti Maha Bihar and Buddha Bihar in Kathmandu, Vice President of Nepal Buddhist Council, and representatives from the Buddha Jayanti Celebration Committee.

Speaking at the program, the UN Resident Coordinator a.i. Richard Howard shared that “from peace to human rights, to environmental conservation- there is a greater relevance in Buddha’s teaching for the work of the UN. Now more than ever, Buddhist communities and all of us must give every day meaning to the Buddha’s message of tolerance, empathy and humanism for our wellbeing and that of our planet”.

The event began with an observance of the Five Precepts and paid homage to the Triple Gem.

H.E. Himalee Arunatilaka, the Sri Lankan Ambassador to Nepal shared of the significance of Vesak Day in the current context and recalled Sri-Lanka's role in getting international recognition for Vesak Day at the United Nations.

Following the adoption of the General Assembly resolution (A/RES/54/115) in 2000, the UN Headquarters and UN offices around the world mark Vesak Day every year.

The UN in Nepal has been celebrating Vesak Day together with the Nepal Buddhist Council.

Written by Grishma Shrestha, Intern, United Nations Information Center.