Lam Dong (VNA) – The Vesak Celebrations 2026 kicked off on May 23 with a wide range of activities in downtown Da Lat city, the central province of Lam Dong.
Addressing the ceremony, Most Venerable Thich Minh Nhat, head of the Executive Board of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha chapter in Lam Dong province, stressed that through this year’s Vesak Celebrations, the organisers hope to help promote the image of Vietnamese Buddhism as always accompanying the nation, while upholding the spirit of social engagement and contributions to national development and people's well-being in the new era.
The festival also aims to foster a healthy and compassionate cultural lifestyle among the public, encourage social responsibility toward the community and homeland, and contribute to building a peaceful, humane and sustainably developed society, he said.
Vesak, commemorating the birth of Buddha Shakyamuni, has been recognised by the United Nations as an international cultural and religious festival for peace. This year’s event takes place in central Da Lat from May 23 to 31, featuring a large-scale series of cultural, spiritual and charitable activities expected to attract tens of thousands of Buddhist dignitaries, followers, visitors and local residents.
A highlight of the festival is the “experiential journey” programme comprising 15 major activities, including a Buddha procession, lighting seven lotus flowers on Xuan Huong Lake, a vegetarian food and Buddhist culture fair, an exhibition themed “The Path to Enlightenment”, the presentation of scholarships and charity houses, a zero-dong market titled “Sharing Love”, and flower-adorned vehicle parades around downtown Da Lat.
The event also includes expanded social welfare and charitable activities for local communities, such as visits and gift presentations to families with meritorious services to the revolution, support for social protection centres, and a tree-planting programme aimed at promoting environmental protection and sustainable development in line with Buddhist teachings.
At the opening ceremony, the organising board also launched creative competitions serving Vietnamese Buddhist festivals in the fields of literary scripts, music, architecture and fine arts. The contests are expected to seek works of high ideological and artistic value, contributing to preserving and promoting the cultural identity of Vietnamese Buddhism in contemporary life./.
