In 2025 Bhutan hosted its first Global Peace Prayer Festival, inviting Buddhist masters, practitioners and visitors from around the world to gather in the kingdom and pray for peace.
A festival of prayer
The festival brought together spiritual leaders from across the Buddhist world for days of prayer, teachings and ceremonies, offered for the wellbeing of all beings. For many Bhutanese it was a chance to share their faith with guests from every continent.
Why Bhutan?
As the last Vajrayana Buddhist kingdom, Bhutan sees itself as a guardian of a living tradition. Hosting a global prayer festival reflects the country's belief that inner peace and collective wellbeing go hand in hand — the same idea at the heart of Gross National Happiness.
Experiencing Bhutan's spiritual life
You don't need to wait for a special festival to feel it. Butter-lamp offerings, prayers with monks, a night in a monastery or a pilgrimage in the footsteps of Guru Rinpoche can all be part of a journey with us.
Please add the official dates, venue and programme highlights of the 2025 festival before publishing.
Header photo: Gerd Eichmann, CC BY-SA 4.0
