The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation in Nepal had long been saying that it wants to organise an international Buddhist conference in Nepal. The idea finally materialised this year as the world prepares to observe the 2560th Buddha Jayanti.
The conference, the biggest of its kind in Nepal, was inaugurated by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
The inaugural session of the conference began with Ani Choying Drolma singing Buddhist hymns and her popular song ‘Phool ko Ankha ma..”
Although hi-profile visitors such as Narendra Modi, Nitish Kumar and Xi Jinping could not make it to the event, that did not deter the volunteers of the conference from welcoming guests with smiles. The colourful welcome party was a milieu of different ethnicity and culture.
The same was true for the delegates who came to Kathmandu to attend the international conference. Delegates from countries such as India, China, Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, and the US are all coming together to discuss various facets of a religion that stands for peace and cooperation.
The programme was graced by heads of different monasteries from around the world. They said conferences like these help Buddhists from around the world come together to discuss things that they hold dear. They also believe that Buddha’s teachings are still relevant today, and they need to be taken to the masses.
Addressing the conference, Prime Minister KP Oli said that Buddha and Buddhism cannot be separated from one another. He also stressed that Buddha was born in Nepal, and that makes Nepal the fountain of Buddhism.
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