Bangkok Declaration Joint Communiqué The Third International Buddhist Conference on The United Nations Day of Vesakk
May 7-10, 2006 (B.E.2549)
At Buddhamonthon, Nakhon Pathom and The United Nations Conference Centre,
Bangkok, Thailand

We, the participants from 46 countries and regions of the InternationalBuddhist Conference on the United Nations Day of Vesak atBuddhamonthon, Nakhon Pathom and at the United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok from May 7-10 2006 (B.E. 2549), gratefullyacknowledging that the Conference has been generously supported by the Royal Government of Thailand and the Supreme Sangha Council of Thailand when the entire Kingdom of Thailand is joyfully celebrating the 60th Anniversary of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej's Accession to the Throne, have unanimously resolved the following:

With full reference to the resolution approved on 15th December 1999 at theGeneral Assembly of the United Nations, Session No. 54, Agenda Item 174,a joint proposal by representatives from 34 countries, that Vesak, which falls on the Full Moon day in the month of May, be internationally recognized and observed at the United Nations Headquarters and its Regional Offices from the Year 2000 onwards, the United Nations Day of Vesak will be jointly celebrated by all Buddhist traditions;

Furthermore, to strengthen mutual understanding and cooperation amongst all Buddhist traditions, organizations and individuals through ongoing dialogue between Buddhist leaders and scholars,

It has been decided to disseminate the following message of peace based on the Buddha's teaching of wisdom and compassion.

Having explored the issues concerning Buddhism and the World, the Conference has agreed upon the following:

(1) to further increase and enhance cooperation between all schools of Buddhism to promote unity and solidarity among Buddhists,

(2) to promote socially engaged actions to create dharmic societies through the emphasis of the central role of inner peace development, and by addressing the motivations that drive feelings/thought, speech and action that creates discord,

(3) to set up more Buddhist meditation centers throughout the world and for that purpose to nurture more meditation teachers,

(4) to promote the creation of consistent and easily usable educational materials for children, adolescents and adults through the establishment of an e-library as the central repository of Buddhist content in electronic medium, initially as a partnership between Buddha Dharma Education and BuddhaNet and Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University,

(5) to compile and publish an informed work on Buddhism to be freely distributed to hotels worldwide as part of the effort to disseminate Buddhism and, in order to facilitate that, to form a sub-committee of the Joint International Organizing Committee to carry on the work,

(6) to create an international body to deal with public relations for Buddhism,

(7) to urge all parties, the United Nations, UNESCO and concerned governments and agencies to preserve both the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Buddhists,

(8) to promote practices that transform the inner being, manifesting themselves in qualities of self-discipline, volunteerism, simplicity and skilful consumption as well as proactive efforts contributing to social activism and partnering in the development of new economic paradigms,

(9) to encourage a holistic approach to sustainable development, based on the Buddhist central teaching of the Middle Way, which is exemplified in the philosophy of "Sufficiency Economy" put forward by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand,

(10) to acknowledge the urgency of improving gender status in order to bring to an end the detriment to individuals, communities and ecology of inequitable and unbalanced development, and to redirect our efforts towards sustainable development based on the inter-dependent integration of economic and ecological concerns and towards peace and security,

(11) to record the success of the First World Buddhist Forum held in April in Zhou Shan, China, the convening of which was supported in the 2005 International Buddhist Conference on the United Nations Day of Vesak in Bangkok, Thailand, and to affirm that Falungong is not in accordance with the fundamental teachings of Buddhism,

(12) to encourage other countries and districts to hold International Buddhist Conferences, and to hold the Fourth International Buddhist Conference on the United Nations Day of Vesak Celebrations in Thailand in 2007 (B.E 2550) in honor of the 80th Birthday Anniversary of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and

(13) to continue to entrust Mahachulalongkornvrajavidyalaya University with responsibility for coordinating the International Secretariat of the Joint International Organizing Committee in order to facilitate necessary follow-up actions and for the Fourth International Buddhist Conference on the United Nations Day of Vesak.

Dated: Wednesday, May 10, 2006.