In a historic move, the Executive Board of UNESCO at its 219th Session adopted by acclamation a Decision to commemorate the International Day of Vesak at UNESCO in alignment with the Organization’s core mandate of promoting global peace, intercultural dialogue, and the preservation of cultural heritage.
The landmark Decision was based on the historic UN General Assembly Resolution 54/115 of 1999 on International Recognition of Vesak at the United Nations which was then spearheaded by Sri Lanka’s illustrious former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, and was adopted on its 25th anniversary year at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on Tuesday 26 March 2024.
The Decision was led by the Permanent Delegation of Sri Lanka to UNESCO with the co-sponsorship of a cross-regional group of 38 member states of which 16 were members of the Executive Board.
The Decision requests the Director-General of UNESCO to issue an annual message on the International Day of Vesak, and to make appropriate arrangements to commemorate Vesak annually at UNESCO Headquarters in consultation with the relevant Permanent Delegations, commencing this year (2024). It further requests the Director-General to transmit the Decision to UNESCO’s General Conference at its 43rd session in November 2025 for adoption.
