Bangkok Declaration of the 18th International Buddhist Conference on the United Nations Day of Vesak
1st–2nd June, 2023 (B.E. 2566)
At Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University (MCU), Ayutthaya
United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok, Thailand
On 15th December 1999, representatives from 34 countries initiated by Sri Lanka proposed to the General Assembly of the United Nations that the full moon day in the month of May be recognized and observed, at the United Nations Headquarters and its Regional Offices, as the United Nations Day of Vesak. The General Assembly so resolved (Agenda Item 174 of Session No. 54) and, accordingly, the UN Day of Vesak was instituted in the year 2000 with the support of all Buddhist traditions. In the continued pursuance of that Resolution, we, participants from 65 countries and regions, have come together from June 1–2, 2023 (B.E. 2566) for the celebrations of the Buddha’s Birth, Enlightenment and Parinibbana. Following the tradition that has been interrupted during the Covid pandemic, this gathering was generously hosted by Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University under the guidance of the International Council for the Day of Vesak (ICDV) and the International Association of Buddhist Universities (IABU), graciously supported by the Royal Government of Thailand, and with the blessings of Supreme Sangha Council of Thailand, and wishes to record their grateful admiration to His Excellency Dinesh Gunawardena, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, for his keynote speech that offered an insightful analysis of the multifactored global crisis of our time highlighting the challenges of the post-Covid era ranging from disease prevention to global warming, and in this period of scarcity the urgent need to put into practice of the Buddha’s wisdom on inter-connectedness as amply demonstrated in the Middle Way, skillful means and mindful compassion, leading to wise decisions across the board for a more sustainable development.
In meetings at the Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University Main Campus, Wang Noi, Ayutthaya; and at the United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok, we have explored the topic of “Buddhist Wisdom Coping with Global Crises", sharing points of view and approaches from different traditions. At the conclusion of our successful celebrations and meetings we have unanimously resolved:
1. Being mindful of the multifaceted nature of conflicts in the world: the role of society; the interplay of social responsibility; and economic development, to urge the governments in the world to consider pragmatic approach and promote awareness of interdependence to help bring an end to the social and political conflicts in the world. Especially, the Buddhists of the world seek to promote peace and reconciliation throughout the world by the skillful application of Buddhist teachings of forgiveness, non-violence, compassion and tolerance; and, to work tirelessly against the human tendency towards unbridled desire, hatred and ignorance, in order to establish a society which embraces the positive values of humankind;
2. To promote mental, individual-based peace, by disseminating Buddhist mindfulness meditation practice globally, and be a direct and actionable medicine, open to all;
3. To remain optimistic in the idea that the problems of the world seem so intractable, not because they fundamentally are, but because we look for the wrong kind of solution. Buddhism looks past a fixed Utopian end-goal and, instead, steers us in the direction of practical, dynamic solutions, that are grounded in an understanding of the nature of impermanence and change;
4. To resolve to double the efforts to promote World Peace through raising the awareness of the limitations of our interdependent existence; understanding the origins of violence, and the sensibilities around identities;
5. To foster the values of appreciation and respect toward other religious and spiritual traditions, as a necessary step toward social harmony and developing the necessary conditions for a communal living where unity does not exclude difference, and where difference does not exclude understanding and respect;
6. To recognize the profound pain that armed conflicts and the Covid-19 crisis have caused in the entire world, both physically and psychologically, and to encourage Buddhists from all quarters to take actions in spreading the life-transforming teachings of the Buddha in our path to recovery, countering scarcity with compassion, and social unrest with understanding;
7. To promote respect for all forms of sentient life including animals and plants, whose life is interconnected with humanity in deeper, and more directly entwined, ways than we have conceived in the past;
8. To promote a collective awakened response to the ecological crisis and climate degradation through the teaching of non-violence (ahimsa) and compassion, combining traditional wisdom and technology in carbon reduction;
9. Being mindful of the uncertainty of life during the pandemic, to practically emphasize the interdependent nature between spiritual care and humanitarian material needs, as well as the economic mechanisms in our post-Covid world; and
10. To express our highest esteem for the Royal Thai Tipiṭaka Translation Project, a translation of the Pali Tipiṭaka into English, initiated by the Supreme Sangha Council of Thailand and generously sponsored by the Royal Government of Thailand commemorating the Coronation of His Majesty King Vajiralongkorn, Rama X.
In conclusion, we thank all those involved and look forward to the diligent work ahead of our next convocation.
Done as the Bangkok Declaration of the Eighteen Anniversary Celebrations of the United Nations Day of Vesak, this 2nd Day of June 2023 (BE 2566).
10:10 – 11:00 
