HCM City, May 8 -- The 20th UN Day of Vesak Celebrations concluded at the Vietnam Buddhist Academy in Ho Chi Minh City on May 8, with the announcement of a declaration that highlights Buddhism's response to pressing global challenges. Speaking at the event, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh stressed that the celebrations in Ho Chi Minh City stand as a clear milestone demonstrating the Vietnamese Buddhist Sangha's increasingly prominent role in the international Buddhist community and in strengthening dialogue on global issues, conflict prevention, social justice promotion, and sustainable development. He affirmed Vietnam's consistent policy of respecting and protecting citizens' right to freedom of belief and religion, and e...