CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE
For UN Vesak Day 2019
It gives me great honour and immense pleasure to pen this congratulatory message on the auspicious occasion of the 16th United Nations Day of Vesak Celebrations 2019, in Vietnam to commemorate the Birth, Enlightenment and passing into Nirvana of our Supreme Great Teacher, The Lord Buddha.
I am very pleased that Vietnam once again has kindly undertaken to host the 16th United Nations Day of Vesak Celebrations 2019, after having successfully hosted these auspicious international events in 2008 and 2014. It is without doubts that Vietnam has a rich history in Buddhism, with the country embracing Buddhism as early as the 2nd or 3rd Century BCE and has plays an important role in the developments in global Buddhism.
I wish to Congratulate our gracious host the National Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (NVBS) headed by its President the Most Venerable Dr. Thich Thien Nhon, who is also the Chairman of ICDV-UNDV 2019 and his International Council members for the Day of Vesak (ICDV), Organizing committee members, staff and volunteers for hosting and organizing this year’s auspicious events.
The Theme for this Year’s UNDV Celebration “Buddhist Approach to Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Sustainable Societies” is indeed very appropriate in these chaotic times where the world is still experiencing political conflicts, Industrial conflicts, wars, global warming, natural disaster and humanitarian crisis. For these, I do believe Buddhism ideological concept and approaches in molding future leaderships with good ethics, high moral values, efficiency and integrity might be the solutions to a peaceful society.
Additionally, in a continued effort to spread the Buddha Dhamma, all the four pillars of Buddhism namely, the Sangha
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monks, Buddhist nuns, Laypersons/Buddhist Leaders and Scholars must stay united and harmonious under one sun and avoid being complacent.
I wish the Organizers, all delegates and participants a fruitful and successful conference and may all of you be blessed by the Triple Gems with happiness, excellent health, longevity, prosperity, family harmony and success.
Dr. Lye Ket Yong
President, Middle East Meditation Center