UNIS/SGSM/1311
4 May 2023
I send my warmest wishes to the millions around the world celebrating the Day of Vesak, which marks the birth, enlightenment, and passing of the Buddha.
The ideals celebrated on this sacred day have a deep resonance with the goals of our United Nations: understanding among peoples, the pursuit of harmony, the promotion of peace.
At this time of strife, the Buddha’s teachings of tolerance, compassion, and service to humanity are a source of solace and strength.
As we navigate the path to a better future, let us seize the spirit of Vesak.
Let us reach out to bridge differences, rise above narrow self-interest, and work together in solidarity for a more peaceful world for all.
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"From the telegraph to radio, from the Internet to Artificial Intelligence, technology has transformed how we live, work, and connect." — António Guterres
Barbados signed and deposited its instrument of ratification for the United Nations Convention on the International Effects of Judicial Sales of Ships (the “Beijing Convention on the Judicial Sale of Ships”) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 8 May 2025.
Journalists are invited to cover the 34th session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) to be held from 19 to 23 May in Vienna, Austria.
"On this Day of Vesak, I extend my warmest wishes to Buddhists worldwide as they commemorate the birth, enlightenment, and passing of the Buddha." — António Guterres