After millions of Buddhists around the world honored the Buddha’s birth, attainment of enlightenment, and passing into paranirvana during the Vesak festival, the White House hosted its own annual observance on 11 June, continuing a new tradition begun in 2021 and bringing together monastics and practitioners from across traditions.
Former President Joe Biden became the first president in United States’ history to host a formal celebration of Vesak at the White House in May 2021, when representatives for the three major traditions of Buddhism, Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana, gathered for a ceremony that featured the lighting of candles and presentation of flowers.*
This year’s ceremony was conducted in the presence of leaders representing Buddhist traditions active in the US, representatives of federal government agencies, international diplomats, and guests from around the world.
“This year’s gathering brought together 26 Buddhist delegates and leaders from across the United States to commemorate the birth, enlightenment, and passing of the Buddha,” said the president of the International Buddhist Association of America (IBAA), Wangmo Dixey, who helped lead the White House Vesak observance in partnership with the White House Faith Office.
“Representatives from all three yanas joined together with leaders from Thai, Myanmar, Taiwanese, Tibetan, Cambodian, Sri Lankan, Korean, Japanese, and Vietnamese Buddhist communities, alongside members of the diplomatic community and representatives from the White House Faith Office.”
In her remarks for the occasion, Dixey, who is also executive director of Dharma College in Berkeley, California, reflected on how Buddhism has become part of the religious fabric of the United States today, with millions of practitioners and thousands of temples, centers, and communities preserving and sharing the Buddhadharma.
She also spoke of how the different cultures, languages, and traditions of Buddhism are united by a shared aspiration for wisdom, compassion, peace, and understanding: “At a time when our world faces increasing division and uncertainty, the Buddha’s teachings remind us that genuine peace begins in the human heart and extends outward into our families, communities, and society.”
The Vesak celebration highlighted the growing recognition of Buddhist cultural and spiritual traditions in the United States and served as a platform for promoting peace, compassion, and interfaith understanding.
Representing the US president, Paula White, spiritual adviser to the president and liaison for interfaith relations, expressed joy that the festival was being observed in the White House and recognized the contributions of Buddhism to social life in the US. She also expressed hope that the Buddhist values of compassion, non-violence, and peace would contribute to the building of a more peaceful and humane world.
The ceremony included a candle-lighting ritual in tribute to Shakyamuni Buddha and as a symbol of his enlightenment and the Buddhadharma, which has been shared around the world for more than 2,600 years. This was followed by a prayer for world peace conducted by Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana monastics to reflect the spirit of unity and harmony in the global Buddhist community.
In a statement shared with BDG, Dixey emphasized the significance of the occasion falling in the same year as the 250th anniversary of the United States.
“It was fitting to stand in such a historic place, representing communities with roots throughout Asia while participating fully in the American story,” Dixey said. “We are supported by the enduring ideals of religious freedom, mutual respect, and opportunity—values that have allowed diverse spiritual traditions to flourish and contribute to the richness of our nation.
“As I stood in the White House alongside Buddhist leaders from across America, I was deeply moved by the realization that the Dharma is not simply a historical tradition. It is a living wisdom that continues to guide people toward greater awareness, compassion, and responsibility. The values of kindness, ethical conduct, interdependence, and respect for all life are as relevant today as they were when the Buddha first taught them. . . .
“The future of the Dharma in America will not be determined solely by temples, organizations, or teachers. It will be shaped by ordinary people who bring awareness into their work, compassion into their relationships, wisdom into their decisions, and a deeper sense of purpose into their daily lives. The question is not whether the Dharma will survive in America, but how deeply it will be lived.”
Vesak, also known as Buddha Purnima (or more informally the Buddha’s birthday), commemorates three key events in the life of the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni, which also represent the birth of Buddhism: his birth, enlightenment (Skt: sopadhishesa-nirvana), and passing from this world (Skt: mahaparinirvana). The occasion, a public holiday in many countries in Asia, is celebrated by millions of Buddhists across the world. Although the date of the holiday can vary from country to country, and between Buddhist traditions, it is most widely marked on or around the date of the full moon in the month of May.
This day is typically observed as a time for reflection, meditation, and sharing the Buddhadharma, which has served as a source of spiritual guidance and compassionate wisdom for countless millions of people for some 2,600 years.
According to data for 2023–24 from Pew Research Center, Buddhists represent 1 per cent of the US population of almost 335 million people. Although the majority of American Buddhists are of Asian heritage, the spiritual tradition is represented across the nation among all ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
* Making History: Vesak Celebrated at the White House with Candle Offerings (BDG)
See more
International Buddhist Association of America
Vesak celebrated at the White House (Daily Mirror)
Vesak Celebration at the White House, United States: A Historic Milestone on June 11, 2026 (Vietnamese American Buddhist Association: Phap Nhan Temple)
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