Second Global Buddhist Summit to be held in New Delhi on January 24–25

NEw new delhi: The indorse world-wide buddhistic breast will be held on January 24 and 25 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, bringing together Buddhist leaders, scholars, practitioners and policymakers from India and abroad to discuss contemporary global challenges through the framework of Buddha Dhamma.More than 200 delegates and 800 participants from across the world are expected at the summit organised by the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), a global umbrella body headquartered in New Delhi and functioning under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture.Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to inaugurate the summit as the Chief Guest, as he did during the first edition of the Global Buddhist Summit held in 2023.The second edition of the Global Buddhist Summit, based on the theme “Collective Wisdom, United Voice, and Mutual Coexistence,” is expected to build on the discussions initiated in the first summit and expand engagement between Buddhist communities and global institutions on contemporary challenges.The IBC said this year’s theme reflects its guiding motto of “Collective Wisdom, United Voice,” and aims to strengthen dialogue among Buddhist traditions while encouraging engagement with global issues.Among the speakers and panellists scheduled to participate are H.E. Maris Sangiampongsa, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand; Most Venerable Thich Duc Thien, Member of the National Assembly of Vietnam and Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha; Gyeltrul Jigme Rinpoche, President of Rigon Thupten Mindrolling Monastery, India; Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, Founder of Siddhartha’s Intent, Bhutan; Ashin Kumara, Pro Rector of Sitagu International Buddhist Academy, Myanmar; Subarna Lal Bajracharya, Vice Chancellor of Lumbini Buddhist University, Nepal; Kosho Tomioka, Director of the Japan Buddhist Federation; Shih Jian-Yin, Secretary General of the Buddhist Association of Taiwan; Ananda Bhante, General Secretary of the Mahabodhi Society, Bengaluru; and Robert Thurman, a Buddhist scholar from the United States.The organisers said the discussions are expected to examine how the core values of Buddha Dhamma can provide guidance in addressing global concerns, including social harmony, ethical economic practices, education, healthcare and environmental sustainability.The deliberations will be structured around five thematic sessions — Collective Wisdom and United Voice for Social Harmony; Entrepreneurship and Right Livelihood in Buddha Dhamma; Scientific Research, Healthcare, Medicine and Sustainable Living in Buddha Dhamma; Learning in the Light of Buddha Dhamma; and Sangha Dynamics through Roles, Rituals and Practice in Buddha Dhamma.In addition to panel discussions and addresses, two exhibitions titled “Sacred Relics and Cultural Engagement in Contemporary India” and “Virasat se Vishwa: India’s Buddha Dhamma Outreach” will be on display, focusing on Buddhist heritage and outreach.A live demonstration of NORBU, a language-learning model designed for Buddhist understanding, will also be presented. NORBU, which stands for Neural Operator for Responsible Buddhist Understanding, is based on a ChatGPT algorithm and has been trained on Buddhist texts in multiple languages. The system is designed to generate responses grounded in Buddhist teachings.The IBC has adopted NORBU as a global initiative and named it “Kalyan Mitra,” meaning spiritual friend, with the stated aim of engaging younger audiences through technology.The first Global Buddhist Summit was held on April 20 and 21, 2023, in New Delhi. It was inaugurated by the Prime Minister and saw participation from Buddhist Sangha heads, scholars and practitioners representing 31 countries. The inaugural summit had over 170 delegates and was organised around the theme “Responses to Contemporary Challenges: Philosophy to Praxis.”