Vietnam Buddhist Sangha delegation attends seminar on Gandhara Buddhist heritage in Pakistan

Attending the Workshop and working sessions and exchanges, the delegation of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha conveyed the message of freedom and harmony of religions and beliefs, including Buddhism, of the Party and State of Vietnam.

Đoàn Giáo hội Phật giáo Việt Nam dự Hội thảo về di sản Phật giáo Gandhara tại Pakistan

The delegation of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and the Vietnamese Ambassador to Pakistan met and worked with the Minister of State, Chairman of the Prime Minister of Pakistan's Task Force on the Development of Gandhara Heritage, Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani.

From July 10-14, the delegation of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha led by Most Venerable Thich Duc Thien - National Assembly Delegate, Vice President and General Secretary of the Executive Council, Head of the Central Committee of International Buddhism of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha attended the Workshop "Cultural Diplomacy: Reviving the Gandhara Civilization and Buddhist Heritage in Pakistan".

The workshop was organized by the Prime Minister's Task Force on Gandhara Buddhist Heritage Development, the Ministry of Religious Harmony and the Pakistan Tourism Development and Cooperation Authority.

Attending the workshop were eminent monks representing the Buddhist Sangha, cultural heritage researchers from China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Nepal, Korea, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.

The conference was sponsored by the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan with the aim of promoting religious, spiritual and cultural tourism through the Gandhara Buddhist heritage to tap the potential of 500 million Buddhist tourists in Asia and the world.

The conference also sent a message from Pakistan – the second largest Muslim country in the world, about religious harmony, peaceful coexistence for the goal of development and prosperity.

Gandhara civilization, also known as Gandhara Buddhist civilization, was formed in the 9th century BC, part of the ancient Indian Subcontinent civilization, where Buddhism developed most brilliantly in history with the birth, formation, and development of the basic teachings of primitive Buddhism.

The delegation met and worked with the Federal Minister for Religious Harmony, Senator Taiha Mahmood.

Along with the Buddhist structures, temples built everywhere during the Asoka Empire (from 273 to 232 BC) have now become religious and Buddhist heritages recognized by UNESCO, especially the Buddhist relic site in Taxila, Pakistan, which currently preserves the extremely precious relics of Buddha Shakyamuni. Taxila, Pakistan is also the Western Paradise where Chinese monks, especially the Tang Dynasty monk Xuanzang, came to seek Buddhist scriptures in 647.

The delegation attended a press conference with the Secretary of State, Chairman of the Prime Minister's Task Force on Gandhara Heritage Development of Pakistan, Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani.

This is the first time a Vietnamese Buddhist delegation has officially visited and worked in Pakistan. Within the framework of the conference, the Vietnamese delegation had exchange activities with delegations of Buddhist Sangha of other countries and attended a meeting with the President of Pakistan.

The delegation of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and the Vietnamese Ambassador to Pakistan also had a working session with the Federal Minister for Religious Harmony, Senator Taiha Mahmood and the Minister of State, Chairman of the Prime Minister's Task Force on the Development of Gandhara Buddhist Heritage, Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani.

The delegation visited the Islamabad Museum, which currently preserves many legacies of the Gandhara Buddhist civilization.

Speaking at the conference as well as exchanging with Pakistani leaders at meetings and working sessions, Most Venerable Thich Duc Thien and the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha delegation conveyed the message about the policy of freedom and harmony of religions and beliefs, including Buddhism, of the Party and State of Vietnam.

Vietnamese Buddhism, a worldly religion, closely linked between religion and life, always stands side by side with the nation, making great contributions to the cause of building, defending, protecting and developing a socialist, equitable, civilized, and sustainably developed Vietnam in the present period.

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