On 15 May 2025, The Union of Thai Sanghas in Europe (UTSE), led by Most Venerable Phraratwachirasatsanavithes, abbot of Wat Thai Norway and president of UTSE, collaborated with Sri Lankan monastic community, the group of Sri Lanka’s permanent representative at United Nations Office of Geneva (UNOG) and the group of Thailand’s permanent representative at UNOG, to organize International Vesak Day’s activities at the United Nations Office of Geneva, Switzerland
At 14.00 PM, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to UN Geneva Himalee Arunatilaka delivered a speech of opening ceremony, followed by the speech of Thailand’s Ambassador to UN Geneva Usana Peeranon on the importance of International Vesak Day and the welcome speech of Director-General-UN Geneva Tatiana Valovaya.
The seminar of “Buddhism and Environment” was arranged with two speakers: Venerable Phramaha Paskorn Piyophaso, associate president of Council of Thai Buddhist Monks of the United Kingdom and Ireland and Venerable Sander Khemadhammo from Wat Phra Dhammakaya-Netherlands. Subsequently, the speeches on Vesak Day were given by 11 Ambassadors to UN Geneva from Bhutan, India, Lao, Malaysia, Nepal, Vietnam, Myanmar, Singapore, China South Korea and Japan.
Finally, Most Venerable Phraratwachirasatsanavithes, abbot of Wat Thai Norway and president of UTSE, together with Sri Lankan monastic representatives, offered a flower tray to the principle Buddha image and jointly chant with monastic community. Then a Sri Lankan monk led laypeople to meditate and spread loving kindness for the worldwide peace.
