NANJING, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Delegates participating in the 21st Conference of the United Nations Day of Vesak, held from May 25 to 28 in the eastern Chinese city Wuxi, called for Buddhist wisdom and compassion to help confront mounting global challenges.
Observed by Buddhists worldwide, Vesak commemorates the birth, enlightenment and passing of the Buddha. The World Fellowship of Buddhists formally endorsed the celebration in 1950, while the United Nations General Assembly granted it international recognition in 1999.
Organized by the International Council for the Day of Vesak, this year's conference marked the first time China has hosted this global Buddhist gathering.
The event has gathered around 1,000 Buddhist leaders, scholars and delegates from 67 countries and regions under the theme of "Buddhist Wisdom in Promoting Global Sustainable Development and Building a Shared Future for Humanity."
During thematic sessions held as part of the conference, participants explored how Buddhist teachings and philosophy can contribute to global sustainability, shared development and the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.
Discussions centered on a range of topics, including the role of Buddhist wisdom in promoting human well-being, Buddhism's contribution to common prosperity, Buddhist perspectives on ecological protection and green development, and how Buddhist thought could help foster lasting global peace and cooperation.
Panchen Erdeni Chos-kyi rGyal-po, vice president of the Buddhist Association of China, said the world is undergoing profound and accelerating transformations with global challenges such as regional conflicts, extreme divergences and climate change, adding that Buddhists should respond to the challenges with compassion, wisdom and the spirit of the Middle Way.
"From interdependent coexistence to compassion and altruism, from inner purification to global cooperation, Buddhism is not only a guiding light for addressing global challenges, but also a vital bridge linking Buddhist communities across cultures as well as advancing sustainable development and world peace," said T. Dhammaratana, vice president of the International Council for the Day of Vesak.
Venerable monks and scholars attending the conference said Buddhism's contribution to shared prosperity extends beyond economic growth, highlighting a broader transformation from personal awakening to global coexistence.
They also argued that lasting peace requires not only institutional frameworks, but inner spiritual transformation, a dimension they described as Buddhism's distinctive contribution to contemporary global peace-building.
Phra Brahmapundit, president of the International Council for the Day of Vesak, described the conference as a "milestone" event for China and expressed hope that the Vesak platform would continue fostering dialogue, mutual learning among civilizations and collective efforts toward a more peaceful, just and sustainable future.
The conference adopted the Wuxi Declaration of the 21st United Nations Day of Vesak, which called for strengthening the foundations of lasting peace, practicing selflessness and altruism, promoting harmony between humanity and nature, and advancing the vision of a shared future for humanity. ■
