VN to host UN Vesak 2008
VNGOP – The National Steering Board for UN Vesak 2008, the Vietnamese Buddhist Shangha, the Governmental Committee for Regional Affairs, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism held a press conference on November 28 in Hà Nội to announce the organization of the UN Vesak 2008 in Việt Nam.
The United Nations and the International Organizing Committee (IOC) of the UN Day of Vesak officially agreed that Việt Nam will host the event scheduled on May 13-17, 2008 at the National Convention Center in Hà Nội. This is the first time the event is organized in Việt Nam with a view of popularizing the Great Buddha’s message of intelligence, benevolence, love, peace, harmony, progressiveness and development.
The UN Vesak 2008 under the theme "Buddhist Contribution to Building a Just, Democratic and Civil Society'' consists of many seminars on different topics: "War, Conflict and Healing: A Buddhist Perspective," "Buddhist Contribution to Social Justice," "Engaged Buddhism and Development," "Care for the Environment: Buddhist Response to Climate Change," "Family Problems and Buddhist Response," "Buddhist Education: Community and Progress" and "Buddhism in the Digital Age" with the Buddhist Electronic Cultural Atlas Initiative (ECAI).
By Hồng Uyên