Every year, our students at Building A Future Foundation celebrate Vesak Day by making Vesak kudu (traditional lanterns) to decorate the foundation and surrounding spaces, while also organizing dansalas, where they offer bread, ice cream, and drinks to passers-by as an act of generosity and community spirit.
Many workers from Ocean Voyager, HAVN and Seatek joined our BAFF students to organise these dansals and help during the food donations.
Vesak, also known as Buddha’s Day, is one of the most meaningful celebrations in Sri Lanka and for Buddhists around the world. It commemorates the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and passing (Parinirvana), all believed to have taken place on the same full-moon day. More than a religious celebration, Vesak is a time when communities come together to reflect, share, and show kindness to others. Across Sri Lanka, streets light up with colorful lanterns, homes and temples are beautifully decorated, and people take part in acts of generosity by offering food and drinks to others. The atmosphere during Vesak is truly special, bringing people together around values of compassion, gratitude, and giving.
For our students and workers, Vesak is not only a cultural celebration but also an opportunity to develop teamwork, creativity, and a sense of transmission and generosity by contributing directly to an important tradition shared with the wider community. It’s another occasion to feel SLYG as a powerfull community where uplifting each other is the ground of our mission.