Many statues of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar are installed all over the world. In June and September of the year 2023, two statues of Dr BR Ambedkar were installed in Vietnam. In the coming time, a total of 10 Ambedkar statues will be installed in different cities of Vietnam. – Ambedkar statue in Vietnam
10 Ambedkar statues in Vietnam
Apart from India, there are more than 20 statues of Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar in the world. There are statues of Babasaheb in many countries like America, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Japan, Hungary, and now Vietnam has also joined this list.
A statue of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar was unveiled on 23 June 2023 in Vietnam. This statue is located at the Enlightenment Pagoda (Enlightenment Temple) in Ho Chi Minh City, which is the largest city in Vietnam. This statue was installed on or before 14 June 2030. This statue is about 3 meters high. Nine other Dr Ambedkar statues are yet to be installed in Vietnam.
Dr Thich Nhat Tu, and actor Gagan Malik and activist Bhimrao Yashwant Ambedkar also played an important role in installing Ambedkar’s statues in Vietnam. It is estimated that all these 10 Ambedkar statues will be 3 meters tall. After the unveiling of these ten statues, Vietnam will become the country (after India) with the largest number of statues of Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar.
In addition to these ten statues, several two feet tall statues of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar will be distributed and installed mainly in Buddhist monasteries and universities in Vietnam. The work of installing Dr. Ambedkar’s statues in various cities of Vietnam is being done by the Vietnamese Buddhist Association.
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Bhikku Dr. Thich Nhat Tu, who planned to install Statues of Ambedkar in Vietnam
Renowned Buddhist monk and Vice Rector of the Vietnam Buddhist Research Institute, Mahathero Dr. Thich Nhat Tu has decided to install 10 statues of Dr BR Ambedkar in his country.
Dr. Thich Nhat Tu has over 1 million followers on Facebook. The monk views Dr Ambedkar as a Bodhisattva and appreciate the great work he has done for Buddhism in India. Babasaheb who revived Buddhism in the land of the Buddha.
Initially, the Vietnamese Buddhist Association only planned to install a statue of Ambedkar at the Vietnam Buddhist Research Institute. But after understanding Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s work and thoughts more deeply, on 14 April 2023, Dr. Thich Nhat Tu announced the installation of ten life-size Ambedkar statues in different Buddhist temples and universities in Vietnam.
He will also work on the translation of the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar : Writing and Speeches (BAWS) into Vietnamese language.
Another statue of Ambedkar in Vietnam
On 2 September 2023, another statue of Bodhisattva Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar was installed in the Avalokiteshvara Temple, which is located in Soc Trang province of Vietnam. This was possible due to the efforts of Gagan Malik Foundation and Most Honorable Thich Nhat Tu. This is the second Ambedkar statue installed in Vietnam, and 8 more Ambedkar statues are yet to be installed here. (see Gagan Malik’s facebook post)
Vietnamese Buddhism
Vietnam is a country in Southeast Asia. With an area of 331,212 square kilometres and population of 99 million, making it the world’s fifteenth-most populous country. Its capital is Hanoi and its largest city is Ho Chi Minh City.
Vietnam is traditionally known as a ‘Buddhist country’. By some estimates, about 75 percent of Vietnamese people are followers of Buddhism.
There are 18 Buddhist-dominated countries and republics in the world, of which Japan, Thailand and Vietnam are the only 3 countries that have Dr. Ambedkar’s statues. Vietnam is the country with the third largest Buddhist population in the world.
The following are the top five countries with the largest Buddhist population in the world. (including Buddhist population and proportion of Buddhists in that country)
- China — 260 to 750 million (18% – 50% Buddhist)
- Japan — 87 to 100 million (70% – 85% Buddhist)
- Vietnam — 73 million (75% Buddhist)
- Thailand — 66 million (95% Buddhist)
- Myanmar — 50 million (90% Buddhist)
Buddhism in Vietnam is mainly of the Mahayana tradition and is the largest religion of the country. Buddhism came to Vietnam from the Indian subcontinent in the 3rd or 2nd century BCE. Some believe that Buddhism came to Vietnam from China in the 1st or 2nd century AD.
Throughout history, many Vietnamese kings and rulers patronized Buddhism. Vietnamese Buddhism has a harmonious relationship with Taoism, Chinese spirituality and some elements of Vietnamese folk religions.
Today, Buddhists are found throughout Vietnam from north to south. Buddhism is the largest organized religion in Vietnam. Although the Communist Party of Vietnam officially promotes atheism, it often leans in favor of Buddhism, as Buddhism is linked to Vietnam’s long and deep history.
According to government statistics, only 16.4% of the country’s population is Buddhist. Many claim that this number (16.4%) is higher than the reported number, as many declared themselves to be atheists but still participated in Buddhist activities.
An atheist is someone who denies the existence of God, and such a person may be a Buddhist. According to some statistics and Buddhist scholars of the country, the Buddhist population in Vietnam is said to be 75% to 85%.
Statues of Dr Ambedkar in Vietnam Related Links
- Ambedkar statue Commemoration Ceremony (23/06/2023)
- 23/06/2023
- 23/06/2023
- 17/06/2023
- 17/06/2023
- 17/06/2023
- 14/06/2023
- 14/06/2023
- 07/09/2023
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