The Vesak Day Observance Took Place in Paris, France on May 24, 2018
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 28, 2018 / Professor Jun Hong Lu JP, the founder of the Buddhist practice "Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door" and Chairman of both the World's Parliament of Religions Foundation and the Australia Oriental Media Buddhist Charity Association, was recently invited to give a keynote speech titled "Enhance the Spiritual Harmony of Mankind with Buddhist Teachings" at the 2018 Commemoration of United Nations Vesak Day.
The Commemoration, which was held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France on 24 May, 2018, was attended by almost 1,000 distinguished guests, including UNESCO officials, ambassadors, politicians, leaders of the religious community and esteemed Buddhist clergy from over 20 countries and regions around the world. The theme this year was "Promotion of Peace and Non-Violence: Buddha's Way of Life". Sessions were held to promote intercultural and interfaith dialogue for sustainable peace.
For more information about the 2018 Vesak Day Observance, please visit https://richardjunhonglu.org/2018-united-nations-day-of-vesak-observance-at-unesco/.
As a spokesperson noted, Vesak Day is an important event in the Buddhist community. 2018 marks the 2607th anniversary of the attainment of enlightenment of Gautama Buddha. In 1999, pursuant to a decision taken at the 54th session of the UN General Assembly, the UN recognised Vesak as an international day of observance. It is now observed annually by the international community.
In keeping with the principles articulated in the constitution of UNESCO in promoting peace and security, it was suggested that a UNESCO symposium/roundtable be initiated to bring together member countries of UNESCO. This promoted an interactive dialogue to transcend barriers of faith and culture to achieve peace at a time where societies across the world face mounting pressure from changes and new challenges. The event provided an ideal platform to convey the universal principles and values taught in Buddhism.
Buddhi Athauda, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Sri Lanka to UNESCO, delivered the welcome speech. Representatives from Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Jewish communities were also invited to deliver messages of love and peace. They all affirmed the great contribution Buddhism has made to humanity, and emphasized the relevance and significance of Buddhist values in modern society, such as equality, non-violence and peace. These are the values shared by Buddhism and other major religions. They also highlighted the importance of education, multiculturalism, and interfaith dialogue with open-mindedness in the harmonious development of humanity.
The meditation session in the afternoon was conducted by the Most Venerable Parawahera Chandarathana Nayaka Thera, Chief Incumbent of the International Buddhist Centre. It was followed by a symposium and panel discussion attended by Buddhist scholars from Myanmar and the University of California, Berkeley, USA. The afternoon session was joined by Buddhist monastic communities of various traditions, other leaders from the religious community and peace-loving personalities.
The evening featured a vibrant stage performance of song and dance from the many cultures in attendance, including Sri Lanka, China, Germany, France, Japan, the Netherlands, and Spain. It was another highlight of the 2018 Vesak Day celebration for a full house of nearly 1,000 attendees. Combining classical and contemporary elements from each culture, the three-hour performance delivered an evening of stylish enjoyment. With the Buddhist teachings in the hearts of the participants, the event concluded on a positive note with messages of interreligious harmony and intercultural understanding espoused by UNESCO.
About Buddhist Master Jun Hong Lu:
Buddhist Master Jun Hong Lu is the founder of Buddhist practice "Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door". He is also serving as President of the Australian Chinese Buddhist Research Centre, and Chairman of the Australia Oriental Media Buddhist Charity Association. He is Honorary Visiting Professor with University of Siena, Italy, and awarded the royal title of Dato' in Malaysia, and Justice of the Peace (JP) in Australia.
Master Jun Hong Lu has been devoted to spreading the Buddha's teachings for the past 20 years in Australia and abroad and owns 10 million followers around the world, was recently invited to give a keynote speech at Vesak Day commemoration at UNESCO. To make the teachings of the Buddha accessible to everyone, Master Lu founded 2OR Australia Oriental Radio and Australia Oriental Television in Australia to spread Buddhism and the cause of world peace. For more information, please visit https://richardjunhonglu.org/.
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SOURCE: Buddhist Master Jun Hong Lu