The 5UG Solution for A Brighter Future of the Nation

“V-star” stands for “Virtuous stars.” It is a moral education program for youths, conducted in cooperation with the International Buddhist Society and thousands of schools throughout Thailand with the common goal of cultivating the universal values of cleanliness, tidiness, politeness, punctuality, and mind-purifying meditation in the minds of the youth.

These five values (5 Universal Values of Goodness or 5UGs) may appear simple but they have proved to be highly beneficial to the young students themselves, as well as their parents, schools, and local communities when put into daily practice. The value of ‘cleanliness,’ for example, goes beyond cleaning things and places to include the use of clean words and having a clean intention. The results of implementing this program have been tremendous. By helping their parents clean and tidy the house, school or temple, dressing politely, thinking before speaking, being punctual, studying hard, cleansing their minds with daily meditation, and following their morals rather than their impulses, these youths will become the country’s valuable human resources. In short, they learn to take responsibility for themselves, their families, schools, temples and communities through daily practice of the 5UG. Instead of looking for someone or something outside themselves to blame, they look for solutions and always start with themselves.

The Unity V-Stars across the country

The V-STAR unity day has become an event that attracts more than a hundred thousand school children annually from every province and corner throughout Thailand who had to satisfied moral-standard requirements before they can converge at their destination – Wat Phra Dhammakaya. On this day, fun activities are presented to encourage interaction and stimulate exchange of ideas amongst domestic and international V-Star students. The students also take part in an ethic quiz to help assess moral standard level of today’s youth, explore the world’s largest exhibition on the Buddha’s life story, and experience the stunning 3D movie on heaven and hell.  In addition, outstanding students will be awarded scholarship funds sponsored by kind-hearted adults who recognize the importance of cultivating academically bright students and wholesome citizens for society.

” Since the human life cycle is so short, people will be best at meditating if they start when they are in good health and at a younger age”

The V-Star Project has drawn interest from many organizations and sectors and garnered strong support from administrators and teachers from numerous institutions, private organizations, and volunteers from moral education programs. Each year, more and more schools have joined the V-Star Project and participated in activities geared at developing our youth to be well rounded individuals.

V-Star Unity Day is an exciting event that strives to creatively motivate students to be virtuous.  The awe-inspiring scene of hundreds of thousands of V-Star students coming together to perform good deeds will be the catalyst for youth all over the world who witness the sight to become virtuous themselves and to unite to make World Peace a reality.