From May 19 to 20, 2024 (B.E. 2567), the 19^th United Nations Day of Vesak celebration was held across multiple venues in Thailand, including Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University in Ayutthaya Province, the ESCAP Hall at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok, and Buddhamonthon in Nakhon Pathom. The event was hosted by Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, overseen by the International Council for the Day of Vesak, and supported by the Government of Thailand, with blessings from the Supreme Sangha Council. Delegates from 73 countries and regions participated in the celebration.

The celebration honored the 72^nd Royal Birthday of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua. In a gracious gesture, His Majesty appointed H.E. General Surayud Chulanont, President of the Privy Council of Thailand, to preside over the Opening Ceremony and deliver the inaugural address at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok.

The celebration had the privilege of welcoming numerous esteemed Buddhist dignitaries and leaders, including:

• His Holiness Sanghanayaka Banasree Mahathero, Supreme Patriarch of Bangladesh, Bangladesh
• Bouddha Bhikkhu Mahasabha (Mahanikaya), Bangladesh
• His Holiness Samdech Preah Abhisiri Sugandha Mahasangharaja Dhipati Kitti Uddesa Pandita Bour Kry, The Great Supreme Patriarch of Dhammayuttikanikaya of Kingdom of Cambodia
• Most Ven. Yan Jue, President, The Buddhist Association of China, China
• Most Ven. Sheng Hui, Senior Vice President of BAC, President of The Buddhist Association of Hunan Province, China
• Most Ven. Seck Kwang Phing, President, Singapore Buddhist Federation, Singapore
• Most Ven. Master Shi Fa Zhao, Chief Abbot of The Golden Pagoda Temple, Singpapore
• Most Ven. Warakagoda Nganaratana, Mahanayaka Thero of Syamopali Mahanikaya, Asgiriya Chapter, Sri Lanka
• Most Ven. Karagoda Uyangoda Maithri Moorthi, Mahanayaka Thero of Amarapura Chapter, Sri Lanka
• His Eminence Thích Thiện Nhơn, Deputy Sangharaja and President of Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, Vietnam
• His Eminence Thích Nhật Hỷ, Sangharaja Council Member, Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, Vietnam
• Ven. Master Shih Hsin-Tao, Founder of Museum World Religions, Abbot of Ling Jiou Mountain Wu-Sheng Monastery, Chinese Taipei, Bangladesh
• Most Ven. Shi Hui Siong, President, The World Buddhist Sangha Council, Indonesia
• Mr. Matsumoto Masakazu, Vice President, Inner Trip Reiyukai International (ITRI), Japan

The main theme, encompassed the following three compelling sub-themes: As part of the celebration, the Tipitaka English Version Project was conducted for the third time, bringing together Thai and international translators and editors at Wat Prayurawongsawas in Bangkok and through an online platform.

The participants from 73 countries and regions unanimously adopted 12 resolutions in the Bangkok Declaration, demonstrating a collective commitment to the event’s core principles:

• His Majesty King Rama X of Thailand, on the auspicious occasion of His 72th Royal Birthday, wishing Him good health, longevity, and happiness.
• We, all the participants, also extend our profound admiration for the Royal Thai Tipiṭaka Translation Project, which involves the translation by Thai and international scholars of the complete 45 volumes of the Siamrath Edition of the Pali Tipiṭaka into English. This project has been launched by the Supreme Sangha Council of Thailand and generously supported by the Royal Government of Thailand in honour of the Coronation of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua. This year, to celebrate the 72nd Royal Birthday of His Majesty the King, one volume from each of the three collections of the Tipiṭaka will be published. 
• Recognizing a sense of shared purpose and universal responsibility, we, the Buddhist communities worldwide, urge citizens and governments to redouble their efforts in building trust and solidarity in today’s world, so fractured by conflicts, by using mindfulness, empathy and compassion as the basis for respectful dialogue and co-operation.
• Acknowledging the universality of suffering and the shared desire for happiness, we resolve to build and nurture connections that transcend our ostensible cultural and ideological differences.
• We are committed to following the Buddhist framework of cultivating trust within ourselves and with others, shifting from a competitive to a collaborative mindset: promoting mindful emotional management, communication and effective problem- solving, leading to global partnership. We emphasize the importance of tolerance, active listening and mindful dialogue as valuable tools for fostering mutual respect and in building bridges across religious divides.
• We commit to increasing our efforts in developing and promoting mindful education to ensure future generations are provided with the necessary skills and knowledge to contribute to a more peaceful and compassionate world. This foundation is based on ethical conduct, mindfulness, and compassionate wisdom – the very cornerstones of a harmonious society as taught by the Buddha in the Four Noble Truths and the Middle Path. 
• We urge the Buddhist communities and beyond to apply mindful compassion to many spheres of daily life. We discussed successful case studies such as (a) mindful eating, as in Zen Eating which connects us to all the people and processes that make every bite of our food possible; (b) mindful compassion in the workplace, for instance, of healthcare workers; and (c) mindful education, with the example of the “Mindful School Project” (Sati Pasala) in Sri Lanka.
• We agree that mindfulness may also be applied to a range of other activities, for example, in diplomacy, international trade and nation-building. In the case of Vietnam, mindfulness is used to embrace the present and not dwell on her painful past, thus bringing healing to all concerned, contributing to world peace and prosperity.
• We declare that mindfulness, if widely applied in societies, has the potential to reduce inequality, to narrow the gap in health and economic terms between the haves and the have-nots, and thus be instrumental in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, that are essential for our collective future.
• We emphasize the need for continued climate-awareness action and engaged mindfulness from its leadership, serving as a model for responsible environmental stewardship at all levels of society.  Finally, the International Council for the Day of Vesak is pleased to announce its approval and support for the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha to host the 20th United Nations Day of Vesak in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in 2025. This will be the fourth time Vietnam has held this prestigious honour. We extend a warm invitation to all Buddhist leaders, scholars, and practitioners to join us in Vietnam for this momentous occasion.