Vesak 2025 in Vietnam: Unity and Inclusivity for Human Dignity

The United Nations Vesak Celebration 2025 in Vietnam, held on May 19, 2025, was a profound gathering that emphasized Buddhism’s role in fostering peace and sustainable development. This year's theme, "Unity and Inclusivity for Human Dignity: Buddhist Insights for World Peace and Sustainable Development," guided discussions on how Buddhist teachings can help address global challenges. With distinguished monks, scholars, and Buddhist leaders in attendance, the event highlighted the deep interconnectedness of ethical living and social engagement, exploring ways to integrate Buddhist principles into contemporary governance and environmental action. Among the keynote speakers was Carlo Luyckx, President of the Belgian Buddhist Union and Vice-President of the European Buddhist Union, who shared his insights on the relevance of engaged Buddhism in today’s world.

In his speech, Carlo Luyckx emphasized Buddhism’s adaptability throughout history and its increasing integration into Western societies. He highlighted the importance of interfaith dialogue and ethical governance, drawing from his own experiences as a Buddhist practitioner and former politician. Carlo Luyckx warned of the dangers of political ambition, outlining how Buddhist principles—such as mindfulness, ethical conduct, and compassion—can serve as antidotes to the pitfalls of power. He also advocated for greater awareness of environmental ethics and animal welfare, stressing the need for humanity to recognize its interdependence with nature. His speech was a compelling call to action, reinforcing Buddhism’s potential to guide societies toward sustainable development and global harmony.

Unity and Inclusivity for Human Dignity: Buddhist Insights for World Peace and Sustainable Development

Speech on the occasion of the United Nations Vesak 2025 in Vietnam

by Carlo Luyckx, vice-president of the European Buddhist Union

Venerables, Eminences, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, dear friends,

Last week the European Buddhist Union, the EBU, held its annual general meeting in Vienna, the capital of Austria, and held a public conference on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. The conference provided an important reflection on Buddhism's future in Europe. Participants discussed how Buddhism has integrated into European societies, and how it is recognized as offering valuable insights into areas such as consciousness and inner experience, complementing scientific inquiry.

Participants also stressed Buddhism’s social engagement role, underscoring that compassion, interdependence, and nonviolence should guide responses to global issues like climate change, human rights, and animal welfare. Engagement should remain deeply rooted in Buddhist ethical teachings, avoiding political misuse.

During the last 2.500 years, wherever the teaching of Buddha Gautama has spread in Asia, it has always incorporated the local values and cultural traditions of the region where it settled, as long as they were in accordance with the Buddhist teaching. This is why today Buddhism has such a rich and diversified cultural and philosophical heritage and is still flourishing in most of the Asian countries where it has taken roots. As you all know, contrary to the Abrahamic religions, Buddhism does not believe in a God Creator, has no dogmas nor commandments. As a Buddhist, I don’t feel to be a believer. The Buddha himself, as stated in the Kamala Sutra, told the Kamala people that one should not just believe a teaching, but rather think, investigate and try to understand. This is why, like me, many consider Buddhism not as a religion but rather as a spiritual philosophy and practice, even if it has many of the outer signs of a religion. The Buddhist attitude of exploring the mind and seeking truth is one of the reasons why Buddhism has no problem with scientific thinking and technology, and can thus easily embrace modern worldviews, which was the first theme of the Vienna Conference of last week. It is certainly one of the main reasons why Buddhism is constantly growing in the West.

Since more than half a century, a historical process is on the way with Buddhism taking roots in all European countries and everywhere else on the planet, North America, Central and South America, Oceania and Africa. One of the differences with the Asian countries where Buddhism is present since many centuries, is that all Buddhist schools of both the Pali and the Sanskrit traditions are settling in all these new countries and that many exchanges between the different schools are taking place everywhere. It is a well-known principle that a culture can only develop further and become richer by meeting other cultures. The same counts for religions and philosophies, and we can thus expect that while each of the Buddhist traditions becomes more widespread around the world, we will also witness greater integration of Buddhist principles into the European and the Western way of life. This development could also contribute to fostering world peace and sustainable development based on Buddhist insights, which is the central theme of this Plenary discussion.

The second topic discussed at the Vienna Conference of last week was “engaged Buddhism”. I remember one of the young people in the public expressing the wish that some political leaders on the highest level would embrace Buddhism and act according to the Dharma to really make this world a better place. This is something I would like to comment by first mentioning my own humble experience.

Having taken Refuge in the Buddhadharma in 1971, I have cofounded in 1977 a Tibetan Buddhist Temple in Brussels, the Capital of Europe, for which I am still responsible today. At some point I realized that to be able to communicate the message of the Buddha in the West, I first needed to fully understand the complexity and functioning of Western Society. That was why, at the age of 30, I went to university to study Political Sciences and International Law. After that the Brussels regional government entrusted me with creating and leading the Brussels-Europe Liaison Office to consolidate and promote the position of Brussels as Capital of Europe and seat of the European institutions. This professional activity for 23 years involved many contacts with politicians on the national and the European levels.

During this time, I also realized that obtaining a legal status for Buddhism depends upon political decisions. This led me to engage into politics and, after standing for election, I spent 23 years as an elected politician, among which 18 years as deputy mayor in Brussels, always keeping my daily morning and evening Dharma practice, trying to be constantly aware and mindful while acting in the political arena and doing strict one-month summer retreats every year. Maintaining an intensive Dharma practice while being active in what can be called the jungle of politics, is indeed necessary for avoiding falling in the many pitfalls present on the road to political power. When I resigned from politics in 2018 to consecrate me full time to the official recognition of Buddhism in Belgium, I wrote a book on how not to lose one’s integrity in a political career. Most of those who enter active politics do it with lots of idealism, wanting to contribute making a better world. However, once you start climbing the ladder of political power, if you have no experience of introspection, if you do not have the capacity to investigate your own mind, you are doomed to fall into the many pitfalls caused by the disturbing emotions, the kleshas. Pride makes you arrogant and narcissistic. Jealousy drives you into wishing the downfall of your rivals. Anger, hate and revenge prevent you from having clarity and peace of mind. Confusion makes you indulge in lying and take wrong decisions. Greed makes you feel poor and never satisfied with the power you already have. Like money, political power is a drug. Once you get the taste of power, you never have enough. It makes you drunk, you get addicted to it and you need always more and more. In my book I also gave the antidotes for these traps, based on the six paramitas of generosity, ethics, patience, diligence, concentration and wisdom. If one can assume political power while keeping total control over one’s mind and cultivating a sincere altruistic motivation, the exercise of power, instead of being an obstacle to spiritual development, can become a driving force to the achievement of wisdom and limitless compassion. Political power is a noble instrument which can create harmony and wellbeing in society, if used by wise people without self-interest.

Engaged Buddhism exists since the time of Buddha Sakyamuni. Buddha himself can be considered as engaged, even as a revolutionary in the society of his time, because he made no difference between royal families and untouchables who wished to take Bhikkhu ordination. He also allowed women to be ordained at a time in ancient India where women had no rights at all.

Buddha was of course not a politician, and Buddhism is not a political doctrine. Unlike the Abrahamic religions, Buddhism does not want to organize society. However, politicians inspired by Buddhism can act in a way that is in accordance with the Dharma and thus create the conditions for peace and harmony. Among many historical examples in all Asian countries where the Dharma has spread, the most well-known is the Indian Emperor Ashoka, who has greatly contributed to the establishment of the Dharma in his enormous empire.

The European Buddhist Union, the EBU, representing between six and seven million European Buddhists, is also very active within the European institutions in Brussels. The EBU is indeed participating as a fully recognized partner in what is called the Article 17 of the Lisbon Treaty which organizes the dialogue between the European Union and the religious and philosophical European associations. The EBU is thus invited to the high-level meetings with the Vice-Presidents of the European Commission and as speakers in the public debates of the Article 17 dialogue in the European Parliament to make the voice of Buddhism being heard on topics such as solving the ongoing armed conflicts and sustainable development. The position of Buddhism on matters of environment and animal welfare are indeed unique and relevant in that, contrary to the Abrahamic religions, based on the principles of interdependence and limitless compassion, Buddhism does not consider the human being as the centre of the universe but as being integral part of nature, which needs being respected.

Since the Hubble, Chandra and James Webb telescopes have been sent in space respectively in 1990, 1999 and 2021, we know that our planet is just a speck of dust in our galaxy, the Milky Way, which counts over 100 billion solar systems. The Milky Way itself is just a speck of dust in the up to now observable universe, which is estimated to contain around two trillion galaxies, each galaxy counting from millions to trillions of solar systems.

By the merit generated on this auspicious Vesak celebration, may all sentient beings in this limitless universe instantly achieve perfect Buddhahood.

Thank you for your attention.

Carlo Luyckx