PM Modi to address inaugural session of Global Buddhist Summit today

On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the inaugural session of the Global Buddhist Summit in New Delhi.

The event begins at 10 a.m. at the Hotel Ashok in Delhi. The Ministry of Culture is hosting the two-day Summit in conjunction with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC).
Professor Robert Thurman, a famous American scholar on Tibetan Buddhism, and His Holiness Thich Tri Quang, the Deputy Patriarch of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, will be the event’s keynote speakers.

Professor Thurman was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri Award in 2020 for his work on recovering India’s ancient Buddhist heritage. The theme of the Global Buddhist Summit is ‘Responses to Contemporary Challenges: Philosophy to Praxis.’

“The Summit is an effort towards engaging the global Buddhist Dhamma leadership and scholars on matters of Buddhist and universal concerns, and to come up with policy inputs to address them collectively. The discussion in the Summit will explore how the Buddha Dhamma’s fundamental values can provide inspiration and guidance in contemporary settings,” the PMO stated in a release.

The Summit will feature distinguished scholars, Sangha leaders, and Dharma practitioners from around the world who will address current global concerns and seek answers in the Buddha Dhamma based on universal ideals, according to the announcement.

“The discussions will be held under four themes: Buddha Dhamma and Peace; Buddha Dhamma: Environmental Crisis, Health and Sustainability; Preservation of Nalanda Buddhist Tradition; Buddha Dhamma Pilgrimage, Living Heritage and Buddha Relics: a resilient foundation to India’s centuries-old cultural links to countries in South, South-East and East Asia,” it added.