RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesian Ministry of Culture has expressed full support for the 2026 Vesak celebration, set to take place on May 31 at Borobudur Temple in Central Java. The event is expected to highlight both religious observance and cultural heritage values.

Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, made the commitment during a meeting with representatives of the Indonesian Buddhist Association (Walubi) in Jakarta Monday, April 13, 2026. The government views the celebration as an important moment to reinforce cultural and spiritual narratives.

According to the organizing committee, this year’s Vesak celebration will differ from previous years due to the timing of the main ritual. The Vesak moment will occur at 15:44 WIB, prompting a full-day series of activities.

The procession will begin in the morning, followed by the Dharmasakti ritual and a lantern release scheduled for the evening. Additional supporting activities have also been prepared to enrich the celebration.

These include cemetery clean-ups, social services, the retrieval of the sacred flame from Mrapen in Grobogan, and the collection of holy water from Umbul Jumprit in Temanggung. The activities aim to strengthen community participation and spiritual reflection.

Fadli Zon praised the event, noting that Vesak is not only a religious celebration but also part of Indonesia’s broader cultural development. “We highly appreciate the Vesak celebration plan by Walubi at Borobudur Temple, as it reflects a spiritual journey aligned with our vision of cultural heritage as a living heritage,” he said.

He added that the living heritage approach is central to preserving and developing cultural assets sustainably. “We continue to strengthen the living heritage narrative at Borobudur, including enriching museum storytelling and documenting artifacts through digitalization,” he said.

The minister expressed hope that Vesak 2026 would deliver meaningful impacts for the public. “We hope the entire series of Vesak celebrations will run successfully and provide positive spiritual and cultural benefits for the wider community,” he said.