Bhutan: Peace Prayer Festival sees ceremony dedicated to global peace and happiness

THIMPU(Bhutan): On the second day of the Global Peace Prayer Festival, which commenced in Thimphu, the Jabzhi Dhoechog ritual is being conducted at Kuenselphodrang (Buddha Point) in the capital city. This rare and elaborate ceremony, seldom performed on such a grand scale, is dedicated to global peace and happiness.

The ceremony combines peaceful offerings with wrathful protection rituals to heal, cleanse, and purify the body, speech, and mind of negative karma.

During the same period, the Global Peace Prayer is taking place at Changlimithang Ground, featuring seven days of non-sectarian Vajrayana Buddhist prayers that represent all schools and traditions of Buddhism.

The first day of the Global Peace Prayer Festival 2025 concluded on a spiritual note in Thimphu as Bhutan’s Majesty the King graced the inaugural ceremony at Changlimithang Stadium on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay was also present at the opening, marking the beginning of a 13-day international spiritual gathering dedicated to fostering peace, compassion, and harmony.

The Global Peace Prayer Festival 2025 began on Tuesday at the Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu, with visuals from the venue showing Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay in attendance.

The festival marks the start of a landmark 13-day spiritual gathering that brings together Buddhist leaders, practitioners, and peace advocates from around the world from November 4 to 17.

It seeks to unite spiritual leaders and practitioners from all Buddhist traditions to foster peace, compassion, and harmony in a world increasingly marked by conflict and division. Organised by the Royal Government of Bhutan, the Global Peace Prayer Festival features sacred rituals, a non-sectarian Global Peace Prayer, the mass recitation of Bazaguru, public blessings, and the Kalachakra Empowerment.

Eminent lamas, scholars, and practitioners from Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana traditions are participating, reflecting Bhutan’s effort to harness the transformative power of loving-kindness and awareness for global harmony.

At Changlimithang Ground, representatives from various Buddhist sects will join in a unified Global Peace Prayer, offering prayers for world peace in multiple languages, including English, Tibetan, and Dzongkha, with simultaneous translations provided during teachings and empowerments.

The highlight of the festival will be the Kalachakra Initiation and Empowerment, presided over by His Holiness the Je Khenpo.

It will offer profound teachings on the sacred connection between individuals and the universe, and the innate Buddha nature present within all beings.

The festival will also host the Bhikkhuni Ordination, known as the Gelongma Ordination, where over 250 Buddhist nuns from across the world will be ordained by His Holiness the Je Khenpo at the Training and Resource Centre of the Bhutan Nuns Foundation in Tshalumaphey, Thimphu.

This marks the second such ordination organised by the Bhutan Nuns Foundation for Mahayana Buddhist nuns, underscoring Bhutan’s growing role in advancing gender inclusion within monastic traditions. In addition to the main ceremonies, the festival will feature an exhibition of Kalachakra art and artefacts, along with scholarly seminars on the Kalachakra tradition.

These events reflect Bhutan’s enduring commitment to preserving and sharing Buddhism’s spiritual heritage. Bhutan’s Global Peace Prayer Festival stands as a historic occasion of unity, devotion, and collective healing, offering a powerful message of compassion, faith, and hope in an increasingly divided world. (ANI)