(29/05/2007)  About 1,400 participants from 61 countries in the Fourth International Buddhist Conference on the United Nations Day of Vesak in Thailand have issued jointly the Bangkok Declaration, supporting the establishment of the International Association of Buddhist Universities (IABU).

The conference was concluded on May 29, with the issuance of the Bangkok Declaration as the highlight. The Most Venerable Professor Dr. Phra Dharmakosajarn, Rector of Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University and Chairman of the International Organizing Committee for the United Nations Day of Vesak Celebrations, was voted as the president of IABU, with representatives of China, Japan, and Vietnam as vice-presidents.

IABU comprises over 80 Buddhist higher education institutions from 22 countries. The second symposium of the IABU will be hosted by Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University in 2008 in Bangkok.

In the Bangkok Declaration, the conference acknowleged the inspiration that many countries and regions, and in particular, the Buddhist world and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) have towards His Majesty the King of Thailand on good governance and development throughout his reign over 60 years.

It has agreed to acknowledge the generosity of and the crucial role played by Thailand in hosting the United Nations Day of Vesak in the past four years. It also approved the Socialist Republic of Vietnam as the host for 2008.

The conference reaffirmed Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University as the permanent venue of the International Secretariat for the International Organizing Committee for the United Nations Day of Vesak. It has agreed to promote, through Buddhist principles, socially engaged actions and urge the Buddhist leaders to take a leading role on moral and ethical issues, in particular, on social justice, respect equal opportunities, good governance, and transparency.

The conference also supports the 2nd World Buddhist Forum to be held in China in 2008. It reiterated the appeal to all parties, the United Nations, UNESCO, and concerned governments and agencies to preserve both the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Buddhists, and to encourage visit to Buddhist holy sites as part of their revitalization.

The participants in the conference agreed to continue projects announced last year on the electronic Buddhist library and the compilation of an informed work on Buddhism to be freely distributed to hotels worldwide. They also agreed to highlight at every level the effective and scientific values of Buddhist meditation in human development, to encourage traditional means and modern technology in the dissemination of the Buddha's teachings, and to raise awareness of using Buddha images.

news research  by ven.phramasrithont Director Information Technology
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