Vietnamese booth at the National Vesak Festival in Sri Lanka. Photo: VOV

The Vietnamese Embassy and Vietnamese community in Sri Lanka have attended the National Vesak Festival, with the event recently being held in the capital city of Colombo, VOV reported.

Following an invitation made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, the Vietnamese Embassy and the Vietnamese community, who are mostly made up of Buddhist dignitaries, monks, nuns, and followers studying and living in the South Asian country, jointly set up a cultural booth at the festival. This was done as a means of introducing Vietnam’s Vesak Day or Buddha's birthday celebration.

The Vietnamese booth featured aspects of Vietnamese national culture and Buddhism, which is reflected through decoration materials, such as bamboo and lotus flowers.

The bamboo greeting gate simulates the Temple of Literature, and the ritual bathing of the Buddha in a lake simulates the map of Vietnam exuding the beauty, the spirit of the Vietnamese people, and the characteristics of Vietnam.

At the booth, visitors had the chance to gain a greater understanding of the development history of Vietnamese Buddhism, as well as Buddhist cultural exchanges between Sri Lanka and Vietnam.

Upon addressing the festival, the Vietnamese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Ho Thi Thanh Truc thanked Sri Lankan leaders for their efforts to promote the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, including Buddhist culture.

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremensinghe conduct the rite of bathing the Buddha at the Vietnamese pavillion. Photo: VOV

The three-day Vesak Festival was soft inaugural by the President of Sri Lanka, Ranil Wickremesinghe on May 3 at Gangaramaya Temple, Colombo. After the inauguration, President Ranil Wickremensinghealso visited the Vietnamese pavilion.

During the festival, many other dignitaries also visited the Vietnamese booth including Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Dinesh Gunawardena, Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, and many more.​​

Sri Lankan Prime MinisterDinesh Gunawardena and Speaker of the Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena visit Vietnamese booth. Photo: VOV

Last week on May 5, Sri Lanka Embassy in Vietnam also commemorated Vesak Day with the participation of Sri Lankan expatriate community in Hanoi under the supervision of Dr. A. Saj U Mendis Sri Lanka Ambassador to Vietnam.

This event was graced by the Chief Guest Most Venerable Thich Duc Thien, Vice President cum General Secretary of the Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha and the Vice President of the Vietnam - Sri Lanka Friendship Association.

The Representatives of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences and the senior academics of RMIT University in Hanoi also attended the event.

After conducting religious observances by Most Venerable Thich Duc Thien, Vice President cum General Secretary of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and the Vice President of the Vietnam - Sri Lanka Friendship Association, Dr. Saj Mendis, Sri Lanka Ambassador to Vietnam and the Mission staff attended the Vesak lanterns and candle lighting ceremony.

Two online Dhamma sermons were conducted by the Most Venerable Gnanaseeha Thero of the Sri Vajirarama Temple in Bambalapitiya and Polpitimukalane Pannasiri Thero and The Chief Incumbent, Sri Gauthama Viharaya Kadawatha, Kalaniya after the Vesak lantern and candle lighting ceremony at the Embassy.