- Sep 02, 2025
- by Ashley Chen
- 215
Bhutan to Host Unprecedented Global Peace Prayer Festival in November 2025
Bhutan will host the Global Peace Prayer Festival in November 2025, featuring rare rituals, Kalachakra empowerment, and historic nuns ordination.
In a spirit-lifting move, Bhutan will host the Global Peace Prayer Festival in Thimphu from 4 to 17 November 2025—set to become one of the most significant spiritual gatherings the kingdom has welcomed. Organised under the Prime Minister’s Office, this momentous event arrives at a time when the world is grappling with escalating conflict, division and uncertainty, aiming to rekindle hope for peace and shared prosperity.
What to Expect Each Day
1. Jabzhi Dhoechog (November 4-7, 2025)
The Central Monastic Body will conduct the ritual of Jabzhi Dhoechog (བརྒྱ་བཞི་རྒྱསཔ) at Kuenselphodrang as a part of the Global Peace Prayer Festival, dedicated to global peace and happiness. The stupendous ritual, seldom performed on such a grand scale, combines peaceful offerings with wrathful protection—for healing, cleansing, and purifying the body, speech, and mind of negative karma.
2. Global Peace Prayer (November 8-10, 2025)
The festival will feature two days of non-sectarian Vajrayana Buddhist Global Peace Prayer (རིས་མེད་འཛམ་གླིང་ཞི་བདེའི་སྨོན་ལམ་ཆེན་མོ།) at Changlimithang ground, representing all sects of Vajrayana Buddhism as well as other vehicles of Buddhism. Prayers may be conducted in devotees’ preferred language where substantial groups are present.
A selection of prayers for peace and happiness, prevalent among all schools of Vajrayana, will also be offered in the original Dharma language, with phonetic renderings and English translations to ensure participation and understanding.
Simultaneous translation will be provided in English, Tibetan, and Dzongkha during teachings and empowerments.
3. Recitation of Bazaguru (November 11, 2025)
The global peace prayer will also feature a mass recitation of the Bazaguru mantra, bringing people together in a shared aspiration for peace. This recitation will provide a mindful way for individuals from all backgrounds to participate in a collective act of devotion.
4. Kalachakra Initiation & Empowerment (November 12-14)
The festival will include three days of Kalachakra empowerment. Presided over by His Holiness Je Khenpo, the Kalachakra initiation will offer insights into an understanding of the sacred interplay between the individual microcosm and the universal macrocosm, and the innate Buddha nature and bliss present within all beings. A comprehensive schedule, featuring lamas from across Bhutan and the globe, will be shared soon.
5. Public blessings (November 15)
The festival will feature eminent lamas who will offer a day of public blessings.
6. Nuns Ordination (November 15-19)
As part of the festival, there will be Bhikkhuni Ordination "Gelongma Ordination" of more than 250 Buddhist Nuns from around the globe from Nov.15th to 19th, 2025. His Holiness the Je Khenpo will confer the ordination at the Training and Resource Centre of the Bhutan Nuns Foundation (BNF), at Tshalumaphey, Thimphu. This is the second time that the Buddhist Nuns ordination has been organized by BNF for the Mahayana Buddhist nuns.
Alongside the Global Peace Prayer Festival, there will be an exhibition of Kalachakra art and artefacts as well as scholarly seminars on Kalachakra.
More Than Prayers
Beyond the rituals, attendees can lose themselves in a Kalachakra art and artefact exhibition, attend scholarly seminars diving into Kalachakra philosophy, and move to the rhythm of ancient wisdom brought to life in a modern world.
Global Reach, Local Touch
Organisers have extended an open invitation to spiritual leaders, scholars, practitioners and seekers from across the globe. The ceremonies will be live-streamed, ensuring that compassion-rooted aspirations echo far beyond Bhutan’s valleys. To accommodate wide participation: prayers may be offered in languages chosen by sizeable groups; common Vajrayana peace prayers will be rendered in Dharma language with phonetics and English translations; and simultaneous translation during teachings and empowerments will be available in English, Tibetan and Dzongkha.
Find out more about how to participate in the Global Peace Prayer Festival and travel to Bhutan.