On Wednesday (23 October), the Parliamentary State Structure Standing Committee backed a draft bill for marking Buddha Day – or “Vesak” – as a public holiday. The draft bill was presented by MP D.Oyunkhorol.

According to D.Oyunkhorol, most of the adult population of Mongolia are Buddhists and over 300,000 people have signed a petition to mark Buddha Day at Gandan Monastery. Furthermore, in 1999, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution, bestowing ‘international recognition on the Day of Vesak at United Nations Headquarters and other United Nations offices’.

“Vesak”, the Day of the Full Moon in the month of May, is the most sacred day to millions of Buddhists around the world. On this day, they remember the birth and death and the Enlightenment of the Buddha, when he came to understand the Four Noble Truths, which form the foundation of the faith.

Next year, Vesak falls on 7 May.