This year's Vesak Festival will be held from April 30-May 7. Photo vietnamplus.vn

HÀ NỘI  The 2020 Vesak Festival will be broadcast live on Youtube, Facebook, Butta and Phatsuonline, as well as An Viên TV due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, the celebration will be held at the headquarters of the Việt Nam Buddhist Sangha (VBS)’s Central Committee from the 30th day of the fourth month to the seventh day of the fifth month, which fall from April 30-May 7.

The Central Executive Council has advised its local committees, pagodas, Buddhist institutions nationwide not to hold rituals, parades or art shows that gather more than 20 people, in line with the Government’s regulations on coronavirus prevention and control.

The VBS said three bells will ring in unison on the morning of the 30th day of the fourth lunar month at offices of Buddhist committees at all levels, pagodas and Buddhist institutions across the country.

At the same time, Buddhist followers nationwide will also perform rituals to pray for the nation during this difficult period.

Last May, Việt Nam successfully organised the 16th UN Day of Vesak 2019 in Tam Chúc Pagoda in Kim Bảng District, Hà Nam Province, with the adoption of the Hà Nam Declaration that promotes world peace, harmony and improvement for all people.

The success of the 16th UN Day of Vesak 2019 celebration has helped the VBS strengthen co-operation and friendship with the world Buddhist community.

The 16th United Nations Day of Vesak 2019 brought together 1,650 international delegates from 112 countries and territories.

"Vesak", the day of the full moon in the fourth lunar month, is the year’s most sacred day for the millions of Buddhists around the world.

It was on the Day of Vesak 2,500 years ago that Buddha was born. It was also on the Day of Vesak that Buddha attained enlightenment, and it was on the Day of Vesak that Buddha passed away.

The UN’s commemoration of Vesak had been held three times in Việt Nam. It was previously held in Hà Nội in 2008 and the northern province of Ninh Bình in 2014. VNS