Celebration of Vesak Day 2024 in the Embassy of Sri Lanka

Embassy of Sri Lanka in Ha Noi, Viet Nam commemorated Vesak Day on 24 May 2024 with the participation of Sri Lankan expatriate community in Ha Noi. This event was graced by the Chief Guest Most Venerable Thich Bao Nghiem, Chief Abbott of the Chua Bang pagoda, Venerable Thich Hanh Bich, Deputy Head of the Information and Communication Division of the Central Committee of Vietnamse Buddhist Sangha and the representatives from Viet Nam Fine Arts Association.

After conducting religious observances by Most Venerable Thich Bao Nghiem, Chief Abbott of the Chua Bang pagoda and Prof. Saj Mendis, Sri Lanka Ambassador to Viet Nam and the Mission staff attended the Vesak lanterns and candle lighting ceremony.

Online Dhamma sermon was conducted by the Prof. Lenagala Sri Niwasa Thero, Head of Sanskrit Department, Pali Buddhist University in Sri Lanka “The importance of Vesak Day and some teachings of Lord Buddha” after the Vesak lantern and candle lighting ceremony at the Embassy. The theme of the Dhamma sermon focused on the importance of Vesak day, practical application of Buddhism to real life situations and the serenity of mind.

Vesak day messages from by H.E. the President, Hon. Prime Minister and Hon. Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka were delivered at this event by H.E. the Ambassador, and the senior officials of the Embassy.

In this occasion, Venerable Thich Hanh Bich handed-over the symbolic foundation Stone for proposed outer wall for the sacred sapling of Jaya Bodhi tree in Bai Dinh pagoda to Prof. Saj Mendis, the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Viet Nam.

Further, Mr. Vu Ngoc Long, Director of the Fine Arts Exhibition House of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association and Mrs. Le Thu Huyền, member of the Fine Arts Association to handed-over the painting of the Lord Buddha Enlightenment to Prof. Saj Mendis, the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Viet Nam.

The recent important milestones related to Buddhist cultural relations and the Buddhist sites in Sri Lanka were demonstrated to the audience. Numbers of Vietnamese travel agents, Vietnamese Buddhist devotees and Media personal of Buddhist channels in Viet Nam, in particular Buddhism and Lifestyle media participated along with the Sri Lankan expatriate community.