Inauguration of Bo De Pagoda - symbol of Laos-Vietnam solidarity

On November 12, in Thakhek town, Khammuane province, Central Laos, the Central Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in coordination with the Central Committee of the Lao Buddhist Sangha Union held the inauguration ceremony of phase 1 of the Bo De Pagoda restoration project.

Inauguration ceremony of Bodhi Pagoda in Khammoune province, Laos. (Source: VNA)

Attending the event were representatives of the Buddhist Alliance; representatives of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha; representatives of the Lao Front for National Construction; the Vietnam Buddhist Coordination Board in Laos; the Vietnamese Consulate General in Savannakhet province; leaders of Khammuane province; representatives of the Lao Ministry of Interior and a large number of overseas Vietnamese Buddhists working and living in Laos, France and Vietnam.

The inauguration ceremony was carried out in accordance with the religious rituals of Vietnamese and Lao Buddhism. The monks of the two Buddhist churches emphasized the importance of Buddhism in the cultural and religious life of the Lao and Vietnamese people. They acknowledged the long-standing presence and great contributions of Vietnamese Buddhism to the spiritual life of the Vietnamese community in particular and the solidarity between the people of the two countries in general, as well as the development of Lao society. The monks of the two Buddhist churches also emphasized that Bo De Pagoda is one of the first and oldest Vietnamese pagodas in Laos, as well as the need to restore Bo De Pagoda in Laos due to serious degradation due to the vicissitudes of time. Expressing his hope that Bo De Lao Pagoda will increasingly attract a large number of Vietnamese people to participate in spiritual activities, contributing to strengthening solidarity and unity in the Vietnamese community in Laos, becoming one of the symbols of solidarity, not only in the religious field, but also in the relationship between the two brotherly countries of Laos and Vietnam. In his speech at the event, Lao Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Nisith Keopanya said that the Buddhist community and Vietnamese pagodas in Laos have recently made great contributions to charitable activities to help society in Laos in general, especially helping people in remote areas, those affected by natural disasters in particular, through activities of donating food, clothes, medicine, school supplies, materials, and money in many provinces across Laos with relatively large values, which have been recognized and commended by the Lao Party and Government.

On behalf of Lao Buddhist followers, the Lao Deputy Minister of Home Affairs also highly appreciated and sincerely thanked the valuable assistance of Vietnamese pagodas, Buddhists and Vietnamese enterprises in Laos, who have made contributions to Lao society in recent times, making an important contribution to the socio-economic development as well as Lao Buddhism.

In phase 1, which is also the part inaugurated this time, the project focused on restoring Dai Hung Bao Dien according to traditional Vietnamese cultural architecture mixed with Lao cultural and architectural motifs. Most of the project's phase 1 funding was supported by Buddhists in Laos, Vietnam and Europe.

In the coming time, the pagoda will continue to call for the generosity of Buddhists and sponsors to continue to restore Bo De Pagoda, worthy of being a common home, a place to gather solidarity and turn towards the homeland of the Vietnamese community in Khammuane province in general and Laos in particular.

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