Beginning on June 1st, the Korean delegation—headed by Ven. Jeongbeom, Acting Head of the Overseas Special District of the Jogye Order—attended two days of commemorative events for the 18th International Day of Vesak held both at Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University in Ayutthaya, Thailand, and at the UN Conference Center in Bangkok. The event was attended by over 1,200 Buddhist scholars from 65 countries, including His Holiness Somdet Phra Ariyavangsagatayana (Supreme Patriarch of Thailand), Most Venerable Thich Tri Quang (Supreme Patriarch of the Patronage Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha), and Ven. Yanjue (President of the Buddhist Association of China).

In a congratulatory message read by Ven. Jeongbeom on June 2nd, the second day of the event, Ven. President Jinwoo of the Jogye Order said, “When each one of us realizes the dignity within ourselves and maintains peace of mind with purity, we will be able to create a world of true happiness. I pray that all things that cause torment in life should cease, and that the Buddha’s Pure Land manifest soon here on Earth.”

There were also presentations and discussions by world-renowned Buddhist scholars on topics such as: “Buddhist wisdom for world peace,” “Buddhist advice for responding to climate change,” and “Buddhist contributions to social and humanitarian development in the post-pandemic era.” In particular, Venerable Soun, a professor at Tongmyong University in Busan, Korea, gave a presentation on the theme, “Release of captive animals through enlightenment, and response to the ecological crisis and climate change.”

Buddhist scholars resolved to strive to build a society that embraces positive values, and adopted the Bangkok Declaration, which includes “promoting awareness of Buddhist interdependence to end social and political conflicts” and “contributing to promoting peace and reconciliation around the world through the application of Buddha’s teachings.”