Hasanuddin English Community

Today, June 5th, 2025, is World Environment Day, and this year’s focus is all about beating plastic pollution, with the Republic of Korea hosting. It’s a huge reminder that plastic waste is everywhere, from our oceans to our bodies, hurting nature and us. We all need to reduce our plastic use, find better options, and be smart about how we make and use things so we can have a cleaner, healthier future.

This holiday is one of the most important festivals in the Buddhist calendar as it commemorates three significant events in Gautama Buddha’s life – namely his birthday, his enlightenment and his passing away.

The observance of Wesak begins at dawn when Buddhists gather in temples. They meditate on the precepts of Buddhism. Those who follow these precepts should honour life, show generosity, embrace celibacy and use speech wisely. They should also refrain from alcohol and only eat at certain times. The precepts also forbid listening to music, adorning one’s body and sleeping too much.