In the evening of May 17, a flower parade was organised with 69 flower cars and 12 flower boats which floated lanterns on the Huong River . A similar parade will also take place on May 19.
Most Venerable Thich Khe Chon, Vice Head of the United Nations Day of Vesak 2008 Organising Board in Thua Thien-Hue, said the activities are to pray for the glorious nation, everlasting religion, peaceful world and happy human beings.
Earlier on May 17, a delegation of over 600 Buddhist dignitaries, monks, nuns and followers, who attended the United Nations Day of Vesak 2008 in Vietnam, held a peace praying ceremony on the Yen Tu mountain peak, northern Quang Ninh province.
Visiting the Yen Tu mountain, the delegates have learnt more of Vietnam’s Buddhist history which has lasted over 2,000 years as well the country’s Buddhist capital, where the first Vietnamese patriarch, King Tran Nhan Tong, set up the Truc Lam Buddhist sect.
The peace praying ceremony was concluded in the bell rung at Dong (Bronze) pagoda on the Yen Tu peak.
The same day, more than 400 Vesak delegates visited Ha Long Bay, which was twice recognised by the UNESCO as world heritage site.