Rapid Fire
UN Vesak Day 2025
- 13 May 2025
- 2 min read
United Nations Vesak Day (International Day of Vesak) was held in May 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, with delegates from 85 countries, themed “Solidarity and Tolerance for Human Dignity: Buddhist Wisdom for World Peace and Sustainable Development.”
- In another development, India successfully intervened to stop the auction of Piprahwa Buddhist relics by Sotheby’s Hong Kong auction house.
UN Vesak Day
- Vesak Day, is the holiest day in Buddhism, observed on the full moon of May, marks the birth, enlightenment, and Mahaparinirvana of Lord Buddha, all of which happened on the same day.
- Recognized by the UN since 1999, Vesak has been celebrated at the UN Headquarters and worldwide with Buddhist organizations, with the first official event being held in 2000 in New York.
- It highlights the global significance of Buddhist philosophy in promoting peace, compassion, and ethical living.
Piprahwa Buddhist Relics
- Excavated in 1898 at the Piprahwa Stupa near Kapilavastu (Siddharthnagar, UP), the relics were originally deposited by the Sakya clan, Buddha’s kinsmen.
- They include bone fragments, soapstone and crystal caskets, a sandstone coffer, and offerings (gold and gemstones), which are confirmed to be linked to Buddha by a key Brahmi inscription.
- In 1899, most relics were moved to the Indian Museum, Kolkata, and are protected under the Antiques Act, 1972 and the Treasure Trove Act, 1878, prohibiting their sale or export.
- Some relics were gifted to the King of Siam (Thailand) by the British.
| Read More: Vesak Celebration, Buddhism in India |
