A peace prayer ceremony was held at the Lumbini Peace Stupa, wishing for world harmony. On the occasion of the Stupa’s 23rd anniversary, Buddhist monks and nuns gathered to conduct rituals in line with their traditions. Nepali monks offered prayers in the Theravada style, followed by peace chants from Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai, Korean, and Himalayan monks, each sharing blessings in their own customs.

The event’s chief guest, Bhikkhu Sangharatna from Japan’s Hieizan Jyosin Monastery and Nagpur’s Ichijyon Mahasamadhbhumi Vihara in India, emphasized that the message of Buddha offers a path to global peace if followed to build a nonviolent society. He spoke of over 80 Peace Stupas worldwide, initiated by the late Japanese Nichidatsu Fuji Guru of Nipponzan Myohoji, as symbols radiating peace. Monk Tatsuma Sato and Yonishi Onishi also addressed the gathering.

The Peace Stupa, built over seven years, stands 41.5 metres high and 20 metres in diametre, with a 59-metre base circumference. It used 900 metric tons of cement and 27,000 square feet of marble, making it the tallest stupa in South Asia.