The New York City Council, the Thích Nhất Hạnh Foundation, and the Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism announce the official street co-naming of West 109th Street between Riverside and Broadway as “Thích Nhất Hạnh Way”, in honor of the transformative teachings and enduring legacy of Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh.

This historic event on April 11, 2025 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.

Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh was a global spiritual leader, poet, and peace activist, revered throughout the world for his powerful teachings and bestselling writings on mindfulness and peace. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called him “an Apostle of peace and nonviolence” when nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1967. In the media, Thích Nhất Hạnh has also been called “The Father of Mindfulness,” and “The Zen Master Who Fills Stadiums.” He is among the most prominent Buddhist leaders of our generation, alongside the Dalai Lama.

Thích Nhất Hạnh lived at 306 West 109th Street from 1962–1963 while studying and teaching at Union Theological Seminary and Columbia University—a formative moment in his path as a young scholar, teacher, and activist. The co-naming ceremony will take place on April 11, 2025; we invite all to join.

The day’s events will begin at 11:30 AM with a formal ceremony at the corner of West 109th Street and Broadway, led by Council Member Shaun Abreu, whose district includes this iconic street. The unveiling of the commemorative sign will include remarks  by monastic students of Thích Nhất Hạnh from Blue Cliff Monastery in upstate New York. This ceremony marks a moment of profound gratitude for Thích Nhất Hạnh’s contributions to mindfulness, peace, and social justice.

Following the ceremony, attendees will have the opportunity to practice mindful walking meditation in silence from 109th Street and Broadway to Union Theological Seminary led by Thích Nhất Hạnh’s monastic students.

Schedule of Events:

11:00 AM – Arrival of monastics from Blue Cliff and Deer Park Monasteries at W 109th Street and Broadway
11:30 AM – 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 – Mindful Walking Meditation from W 109th St. and Broadway to Union Theological Seminary (121st St. and Broadway)
1:00 PM – Closing of the event

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.

The event is free and open to the public. Community members are warmly encouraged to join in this day of mindful practice, gratitude, and celebration.

About Thích Nhất Hạnh

Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh was a global spiritual leader, poet, and peace activist, revered throughout the world for his teachings and bestselling writings on mindfulness and peace.

Thích Nhất Hạnh published over 100 titles on meditation, mindfulness, and engaged Buddhism, as well as poems, children’s stories, and commentaries on ancient Buddhist texts. He sold over five million books in the United States alone. Some of his best-known volumes include Being Peace, Peace Is Every Step, The Miracle of Mindfulness, The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching, and The Art of Living.

Thích Nhất Hạnh was a pioneer in bringing Buddhism to the West, founding eleven monasteries and dozens of practice centers in the United States, Asia, and Europe, as well as over 1,000 local mindfulness practice communities, known as ‘sanghas.’ He built a thriving community of over 600 monks and nuns worldwide, who, together with his tens of thousands of lay students, apply his teachings on mindfulness, peace-making, and community-building in schools, workplaces, businesses – and even prisons – throughout the world.

About Blue Cliff Monastery: Established in 2007, Blue Cliff Monastery is a mindfulness practice center and monastic training center located in Pine Bush, NY, about two hours northwest of New York City. Founded by Thích Nhất Hạnh, it is home to a thriving community of monks, nuns, and lay practitioners who are committed to learning and practicing the art of mindful living.

About Deer Park Monastery: Founded by Thích Nhất Hạnh, Deer Park Monastery is a mindfulness practice center in Southern California offering retreats, teachings, and community practices inspired by the Plum Village tradition.

About Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation: The Thích Nhất Hạnh Foundation supports the continuation of Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings and practices, which emphasize mindfulness, compassion, and engaged action. The Thích Nhất Hạnh Foundation is a division of the Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism, Inc., a US nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization founded by Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue.