Highlights from Vesak 2020 Celebration Watching During Covid-19

Happy Vesak, www.freepik.com.

Here's a summary of the best Vesak 2020 celebrations I've watched since celebrations began on Thursday, May 7 India time (Wednesday evening for me).

This includes highlights from the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) "Virtual Vesak" YouTube livestream. The program, lasting more than five hours, included many guest speakers and scenes from pilgrimage sites around the world.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama

His Holiness the Dalai Lama's Vesak address was read aloud by a host on the International Buddhist Confederation's (IBC) Virtual Vesak program livestream, and was later published on dalailama.com.


Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo

Watch Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo's Vesak message on the IBC World YouTube channel.




Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya

Watch Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC) monastics conducting practices on Vesak at the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhagaya, Bihar, India, on the IBC World YouTube channel.




His Eminence Kyabje Ling Rinpoche

Watch His Eminence Kyabje Ling Rinpoche's Vesak message on the IBC World YouTube channel or read the transcript on www.lingrinpoche.info.




His Eminence Tai Situ Rinpoche

Watch His Eminence Tai Situ Rinpoche's  Vesak address given at the request of WABULI, the largest Buddhist organization in Indonesia, on the We Will Wake Up YouTube channel.



You can also watch Tai Situ Rinpoche's message on Covid-19 with Hindi subtitles requested by Palpung Slovenia and Palpung Italy on the Palpung PAVA YouTube channel.

Venerable Geshe Dorji Damdul

Watch Venerable Geshe Dorji Damdul lead a Group Observance of the Aspirational Bodhisattva Pledge on the Tibet House Delhi YouTube channel.

Vidura Vishwajith and Nipuna Jayawardhana

Enjoy a cover of the song "Gilem Obe Guna" in Sinhala performed for Vesak by Sri Lankan musicians Vidura Vishwajith and Nipuna Jayawardhana on the Tech Vlogger YouTube channel.




Chandrasena Hettiarachchi

Enjoy the song "Gasak Naara MalPipila" performed for Vesak by Sri Lankan musician Chandrasena Hettiarachchi on Chandrasena Hettiarachchi's YouTube channel.