OTTAWA, Canada — Thai Buddhist monks were among more than 500 clergy and laypeople from 56 organisations across Canada who gathered at Parliament Hill in Ottawa to mark Vesak and advocate for official recognition of May as Canadian Buddhist Heritage Month.
The event, held as part of the Canadian Buddhist Heritage Month initiative, brought together representatives from Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana traditions, with attendees from Thai, Sri Lankan, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Burmese communities.
Two Thai abbots represented the country at the ceremony: Phra Khru Suwannabhatharawithet, abbot of Bhavana Toronto Temple, and Phra Maha Suksanti Supaphaso, abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya Vancouver. Both participated in chanting ceremonies during the occasion.
Activities at Parliament Hill included a press conference highlighting Buddhism’s role in Canadian society through education, charity, and mindfulness promotion, a water-pouring ceremony at the Centennial Flame, and a National Peace Walk to promote goodwill in Canada’s multicultural society.
The gathering also aimed to push the federal government to formally declare May as Buddhist Heritage Month each year.
Phra Khru Samuh Sanitwong Wutthiwangso, assistant abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya in Pathumthani and director of the temple’s communications office, said the event reflected Buddhism’s continued role as a unifying force across cultures and nationalities.
Vesak is recognised by the United Nations as an international day of significance, commemorating the birth, enlightenment, and passing of the Buddha.
