Spiritual leaders unite to promote mindfulness, peace, and healing in turbulent times
Thimphu (Bhutan): Bhutan has inaugurated the Global Peace Prayer Festival, a historic 13-day spiritual gathering that brings together Buddhist leaders, monks, nuns, and peace activists from across the world to promote harmony and compassion amid growing global divisions. The festival will run from November 4 to 17 in Thimphu.
Organized by the Royal Government of Bhutan, the festival includes public blessings, the Kalachakra Empowerment, the recitation of the Bazaguru mantra, and a Global Peace Prayer involving practitioners from all major Buddhist traditions — Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. The celebrations began with the sacred Jabzhi Dhoechog ceremony performed by the Central Monastic Body at Kuenselphodrang, a rare ritual believed to purify and heal body, speech, and mind.
Under the spiritual guidance of His Holiness the Je Khenpo, the Kalachakra Initiation offers profound teachings on universal interconnectedness and the Buddha nature within all beings. The festival also features academic discussions, Kalachakra art exhibitions, and collective prayers in English, Tibetan, and Dzongkha, ensuring inclusivity for global participants.
A key highlight is the Bhikkhuni (Gelongma) Ordination Ceremony, during which around 250 Buddhist nuns from around the world will be ordained at the Bhutan Nuns Foundation’s Training and Resource Center in Tshalumaphey. This marks the second such ordination for Mahayana Buddhist nuns, reflecting Bhutan’s progressive approach to empowering women in monastic life.
By bringing together lamas, scholars, and devotees in a collective act of spiritual solidarity, the Global Peace Prayer Festival stands as a symbol of Bhutan’s enduring commitment to world peace and compassionate coexistence — a timely reminder that empathy remains humanity’s strongest path toward healing.
