The Sri Lanka High Commission (HC) in Nairobi, Kenya, co-hosted the Vesak Day commemoration with the Thai Embassy in Nairobi at the United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON) on May 5.
The highlight of the event was the donation of one million seedlings and plants by the Sri Lanka High Commission and a group of Sri Lankans in Kenya to Nairobi City County as a gesture of goodwill and symbolic support for the 50 billion tree-planting campaign launched by the President of Kenya, Dr. William Ruto.
Around 300 people including UN Under-Secretary-General and Director General of the UNON Zainab Hawa Bangura, Deputy Governor of the Nairobi County Njoroge Muchiri, Ambassadors, Kenyan Government officials including the representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Ministry of Kenya, and members of the Sri Lankan business community were present.
After accepting the seedlings and plants, the Deputy Governor of Nairobi City County, Njoroge Muchiri, said it was significant to receive one million seedlings on the thrice-blessed day of Vesak. He underscored the fact that in today’s globalised world, climate change and environmental degradation threaten the very future of the planet and acknowledged the Buddha’s message of solidarity and mutual support, which provides important inspiration to build a better world.
The Deputy Governor said that the Sri Lanka High Commission was the first diplomatic mission represented in Kenya to extend support to the tree-planting campaign in Kenya.
High Commissioner of Sri Lanka, Veluppillai Kananathan outlined the importance of Vesak for Buddhists around the world. He said that it was a universal acknowledgement for the doctrine of peace, compassion, and non-violence of the Buddha.
The UN Under-Secretary-General and Director General of the UNON, Zainab Hawa Bangura, read the Vesak Day message issued by the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres.
The UNON Director General said, “Reviving the world’s ecosystems – our very lifeline – by 2030 is not an easy endeavour. But it is crucial if we want to avert a climate catastrophe, mass biodiversity loss and food insecurity. In this context, we are thankful to Sri Lanka High Commission’s generous support to bringing degraded ecosystems back to life, here in Kenya.”
Chief Incumbent of the Buddhist temple in Nairobi, Ven. Yatirawana Wimala Thera and Ven. Labunoruwe Sobitha Thera conducted Dhamma sermons and invoked blessings.