Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Nguyen Tan Dung has sent a message, saying that the Government of Vietnam is willing to host the United Nations Day of Vesak in Vietnam next year.

The message, dated May 23, was addressed to the Royal Thai Government, the Chairman of the International Organizing Committee (IOC) for the Fourth International Buddhist Conference on the United Nations Day of Vesak 2007, and delegates to the United Nations Day of Vesak, being held in Thailand on May 26-29.

In his press briefing on May 27 at the United Nations Conference Center in Bangkok, the Most Venerable Professor Dr. Phra Dharmakosajarn, Rector of Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University and Chairman of IOC, said that any interested country might send a proposal for hosting the next celebrations of the United Nations Day of Vesak to IOC for consideration. The country selected to be the next host will be announced on May 29, coinciding with the issuance of the Bangkok Declaration.

In his message, the Vietnamese Prime Minister stated that Vietnam always respects and guarantees the people’s rights and freedom of religious practices. The Buddhist community in Vietnam has long been established and it upholds the tradition of unity among the people. The decision to offer to host the United Nations Vesak Day 2008 demonstrates Vietnam’s strong support for the resolution of the United Nations on the celebrations of the Vesak Day and for the sake of peace, democracy, development, and social progress.

Phra Dhammakosajarn said that the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) currently has 62 member countries. However, the number of participating countries in the Fourth International Buddhist Conference is 61. Such a number is considered very great, when compared with the number of ESCAP members.

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