India will host the maiden Global Buddhism Summit next week, which will reportedly strive to find solutions to contemporary global challenges like poverty and climate change through Buddhist teachings.
As per a statement from the conference’s organizer, the theme of the two-day summit is ‘Responses to Contemporary Challenges from Philosophy to Praxis’.
The statement noted that eminent scholars, Sangha leaders and dharma practitioners from all over the world will discuss today’s pressing global issues and look for answers in the Buddha Dhamma (in Pali) or Dharma (in Sanskrit).
The conference’s organizer told Indian media that it has both the “privilege and the authority” to host the summit, as Buddhists from across the world come to India for pilgrimage.
“Buddha Dhamma started from Bodh Gaya. It is in the Bihar state of India. All the important places connected to the life of the Buddha like Rajgir, Nalanda, and of course Bodh Gaya are in India,” Dr. Dhammapiya, the secretary general of the International Buddhist Confederation, was quoted as saying by The Print.