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Thích Nhất Hạnh Way Co-Naming Ceremony (Online Livestream)
April 11 @ 11:30 am – 4:00 pm EDT (New York, USA)
Looking for the in person event listing? Click here.
Honoring the Legacy of Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh
Join us for a historic and deeply meaningful event as New York City officially co-names West 109th Street between Riverside and Broadway as “Thích Nhất Hạnh Way.” This special ceremony honors the life and teachings of Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh, a global spiritual leader, poet, peace activist, and the founder of the Plum Village tradition of Engaged Buddhism.
Thích Nhất Hạnh lived at 306 West 109th Street in the early 1960s while studying and teaching at Union Theological Seminary and Columbia University—a formative period in his life as a scholar, teacher, and activist. This street co-naming recognizes his profound contributions to mindfulness, peace, and social transformation worldwide.
This historic event will bring together city leaders, monastics from the international Plum Village community, and members of the New York City community to commemorate the life and work of one of the world’s most influential spiritual teachers.
Schedule of Events:
11:00 AM ET – Arrival of monastics from Blue Cliff and Deer Park Monasteries at W 109th Street and Broadway
11:30 AM ET – Co-Naming Ceremony:
- Remarks by City Council Member Shaun Abreu
- Unveiling of the “Thích Nhất Hạnh Way” sign
- Reflections from monastics and community leaders
- Closing chant
12:00 PM ET – Walking meditation from W 109th Street and Broadway to Union Theological Seminary (121st Street and Broadway)
1:00 PM ET – Co-Naming Reception, Book & Calligraphy Exhibition @ UTS
4:00 PM ET – Event concludes
This momentous occasion not only celebrates Thích Nhất Hạnh’s legacy, but also invites participants to embody his teachings of mindfulness, compassion, and peace. The co-naming of “Thích Nhất Hạnh Way” recognizes his profound impact on the global mindfulness movement, as well as his advocacy for interfaith harmony and social transformation.
Founded in 1836, Union Theological Seminary is the oldest private, independent, non-denominational seminary in the U.S. Union has a program, The Thích Nhất Hạnh Program for Engaged Buddhism (TNHEB), which promotes academic and public education aimed at cultivating diverse Buddhist responses to pressing social issues. It seeks to generate innovative and informed discourse on topics, such as violence, climate change, racism, poverty and economic inequality, incarceration, gender and sexuality, religious pluralism, and the intersection of contemplative practice and social action.