QIONGHAI, China, March 28,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sub-forum on Religious
Harmony and Mutual Learning Among Civilizations at the Boao Forum
for Asia 2024 ("BFA 2024") is set
to feature its first ever roundtable discussion on March 29th. Serving as a platform for
imparting wisdom and demonstrating responsibility, the goal of the
sub-forum is to foster meaningful exchanges and forge consensus
centered around the theme "Flow of Dharma to the East and
Thousands of Miles of Fellowship - Confronting Challenges and
Achieving Mutual Growth Through the Wisdom and Compassion of
Buddha".
This year's sub-forum has attracted an unprecedented number of
participants and countries, with notable attendees including:
- BOUR KRY, the Great Supreme Patriarch of Dhammayutta
Order of the kingdom of Cambodia;
- HARADA MITSUNORI, Deputy Superintendent and Director of
Zennosato Affairs Promotion Office of Daihonzan Eiheiji of Soto Zen
School;
- LHARKYAL LAMA, Vice Chairman of the Lumbini Development
Trust (LDT) and Chief Abbot of the Palyul Ling Monastery in
Kathmandu;
- KIRINDE ASSAJI, Rajakeeya Panditha, Deputy Chief High
prelate of Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo,
Sri Lanka;
- MU AE, Chairman of the Acharya Review Committee at the
Education Institute of Jogye Order and Member of the Sangha
Examination Council of Jogye Order;
- THICH DUC THIEN, Vice
President, Secretary General of Executive Council of Viet Nam
Buddhist Sangha, Head of Department of International Buddhist
Affairs and Member of The National Assembly of Vietnam; and
- YAN JUE, Vice President
of the China Committee on Religion and Peace (CCRP), Co-chair of
the Religions for Peace, President of the Buddhist Association of
China;
At the media meeting on 28th March, religious
representatives from Cambodia, China, Japan, and Nepal, representing the three major
Buddhist traditions of Han Buddhism, Theravada Buddhism, and
Tibetan Buddhism, engaged in exchanges and interactions with
Chinese media outlets, including CCTV and Xinhua News Agency. The
event sought to promote mutual learning between world religions and
civilizations of the East and West through the "Boao Dialogue".
HARADA MITSUNORI commented, "I feel optimistic about
future cultural exchanges between Buddhist communities in
China and Japan, fostering bridges of understanding and
camaraderie between our two nations."
BOUR KRY, remarked that the exchanges and co-operation
between the Buddhist communities of China and Cambodia have expanded from the initial focus
on Buddhist culture to encompass Buddhist education, youth
development, public welfare and charity, medical and healthcare
services, and ecological and environmental protection, among
others.
The Chinese Buddhist community, led by YIN SHUN, Head of
the Youth Division of China Committee on Religion and Peace (CCRP),
Vice President of the Buddhist Association of China, and President of the Buddhist
Association of Hainan Province,
has played a pivotal role in strengthening the bonds between
China and Cambodia. At the media conference, YIN SHUN
highlighted the remarkable achievements of the past years. The
Buddhist Association of China has
proudly hosted eight Boao Religious Sub-Forums, eight South China
Sea Buddhist Roundtables, and the "Overseas Spreading and Influence
of Chinese Chan Culture - Dahongshan Forum".
Additionally, for a decade, the organization has organized the
cross-border public interest initiative known as the "Silk Road
Charity and Brightness Action Tour", providing cost-free surgical
treatment to tens of thousands of cataract patients in multiple
countries.
Meanwhile the Buddhist Association of China has recruited apprentice monks from
various countries to pursue advanced studies at the Nanhai Buddhist
Academy, and presided over the compilation of the first and most
innovative digital edition of the Dictionary of Chinese
Buddhism, among other endeavors. These achievements underscore
the efforts and contributions made by the religious community to
engage into the process of Chinese-style modernization, promoting
the sinicization of religions, and fostering consensus for the
construction of the Free Trade Port. They also demonstrate that
only a sinicized Buddhism can better serve Chinese-style
modernization.
Since its inception in 2015, the religious sub-forum of BFA has
completed eight sessions, attracting a distinctive lineup of
esteemed guests representing many of the world's religions, Nobel
laureates, nationally recognized scholars, and leading journalists.
These individuals, representing countries from the East and West,
have converged to foster meaningful exchanges and mutual
understanding on the topic of the world's major religions and
civilizations, contributing to global peace, prosperity, and the
advancement of a shared future for mankind.
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SOURCE The Buddhist Association of China