LKI honours Hon. Lakshman Kadirgamar on Vesak Day

May 5, 2023    Reading Time: 2 minutes

Reading Time: 2 min read

A significant achievement of Hon. Lakshman Kadirgamar was his role in getting Vesak recognized as an international event, by the international community. Vesak is a very important Buddhist holiday that commemorates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha.

It is celebrated by millions of Buddhists around the world with Sri Lanka being one of the most important centres for the celebration of Vesak.

Hon. Lakshman Kadirgamar as the former Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka took the lead by proposing to the United Nations General Assembly in 1999, that Vesak be officially recognized as an International event. This proposal was accepted and Vesak has since gained recognition as an international day of observance by the UN. This in turn has led to raising the awareness on the importance of Vesak and the teachings of the Buddha around the the world.

The effort of Hon. Lakshman Kadirgamar with regards to the recognition of Vesak as an International event is proof of his commitment to promote interfaith understanding and cooperation at a global level. This in turn has led to the promotion of the Buddhist values of wisdom and peace and contributed towards strengthening ties between Sri Lanka and the international community.

The LKI honoured his legacy and commitments on Vesak day.