Minister of Religious Affairs urges Buddhists to promote kindness and peace during Waisak Day

Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar has urged the Buddhist community to use the occasion of Waisak Day to strengthen their commitment to spreading kindness, fostering brotherhood, and safeguarding world peace. The 2026 Waisak theme, ‘Dharma for World Peace’, is relevant to current global conditions. According to the Minister, Dharma is not merely a religious teaching but a life guide that leads people to uphold truth, morality, and wisdom. ‘Dharma is not just a teaching, but a guiding light for humanity to remain steadfast in truth, morality, and wisdom amid changing times, including maintaining world peace,’ the Minister stated in his Waisak Day message in Jakarta on Sunday, May 31, 2026. Therefore, the value of compassion is a crucial foundation for building harmonious life, whether within families, communities, nations, or the world. The Grand Imam of Istiqlal Mosque also stressed the government’s commitment to ensuring every citizen can practice their faith safely, peacefully, and with reverence. ‘I have a constitutional duty to ensure every citizen can worship peacefully and reverently. At the same time, maintaining harmony is our shared responsibility as fellow citizens,’ he said. Therefore, religious life should be a force for strengthening brotherhood, not the opposite. ‘Religion exists to humanise humanity. The wisdom taught in Buddhism aligns with universal human values that form the foundation of shared life. Compassion must remain the cornerstone in preserving national unity,’ the Minister said. The Minister hopes that Waisak Day celebrations will not only be religious observances but also spaces for reflection to create harmonious living, preserve national unity, and achieve world peace.