Page 75 - YBAM 50th Anniversary Souvenir Magazine

for young people (those who graduated the participation from local and overseas Buddhist forum. Hence, the ‘2004 issues and the current needs of the
from the varsities to the people aged 40 people. The conference was also supported International Buddhist Forum’ was put society.
years). This age group is the targeted by the World Fellowship of Buddhist Youth into reality.
group of YBAM as the definition of the (WFBY) and co-organised by 15 other The ’‘2004 International Buddhist Forum’ The forum was held on 10 – 11 April 2004
legal age of the members in YBAM is 18 Buddhist organisations in Malaysia. The received the supports and positive responses in Kuala Lumpur. As it was a very rare
– 40 years old. theme of the conference was ‘Buddhism from many Buddhist organisations such large-scale Buddhist forum, the forum was
for a Richer Life’, discussing the Buddhism as the Buddha’s Light International given a great attention by the Buddhists
With such background, YBAM, together from the angles of cultivation, science, Association (BLIA) Malaysia Chapter, in the country. The organisation, publicity
with other active Buddhists realised that religion and family. The conference featured Taiwan Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation and the conduct of the forum were widely
Buddhist Fellowship in Singapore organised talks from 15 renowned Dharma teachers, Malaysia and Merit Magazine joined as reported by the local Chinese media. With
a Global Conference on Buddhism in 2000 scholars and practitioners from around supporting units, and with 30 Buddhist more than 1,000 people participated in
that received a very positive response from the world. The keynote speeches were organisations as co-organisers. Just the forum, it was considered as a giant
the public with more than one thousand presented by the late Venerable K. like the English conference, local and Buddhist event of the time.
attendees. The success of this activity Sri Dhammananda from Malaysia and overseas renowned Dharma teachers,
has motivated the Malaysian Buddhist Venerable Ching Yao from Taiwan. scholars and practitioners presented The above English and Chinese Buddhist
community. Hence, YBAM, Buddhist Gem their theses. The forum even invited forums had made a fresh scene in the
Fellowship (BGF) and Buddhist Missionary The conference was attended by about the President of the World Chinese Malaysian Buddhism. Since then, many
Society Malaysia (BMSM) organised the one thousand people, which the response Sangha Association cum the President of similar Buddhist forums were organised,
nd
2 Global Conference on Buddhism in was considered as extraordinary. YBAM Religionist Association of the Republic of laying out a new path for the Dharma
2002 with the permission of Singapore had the opinion that there should be a China, the late Venerable Ching Hsin to propagation in the country.
Buddhist Fellowship in Kuala Lumpur. Chinese forum organised to cater for the present the keynote speech.
Chinese Buddhist community. Hence, For the English forums, since the 2nd
The Conference, which was described as as soon as the conclusion of the Global YBAM hoped that through the forum, Global Conference on Buddhism, YBAM,
‘the first large-scale Buddhist conference Conference on Buddhism, YBAM started the Buddhists were provided with a BGF and BMSM organised the 5 Global
th
rd
in Malaysia’ by the organiser, received the organisational process of a Chinese platform to address the Buddhism Conference on Buddhism in 2007 (the 3
th
views towards contemporary issues. and 4 forums were organised in Singapore
Therefore, the main theme of the and New Zealand, respectively). In 2010,
forum had been set as ‘Contemporary the Global Conference on Buddhism was
Buddhism’, and in conjunction with the hosted in another country, and the three
topic of ‘Globalisation’, the sub-theme organisations felt that there was a need to
was set as the ‘Inspiration and Outlook organise a Buddhist forum in the country,
of The Globalisation’. The forum was so the conference was renamed as
broken down into four main topics: (1) World Buddhist Conference. The same
The Third Road in Global Economy; (2) conference was also organised in 2012.
The Role of Religion in Globalisation; On the other hand, YBAM also organised
(3) Buddhism and Death; (4) Cloning two English Contemporary Buddhist
and its Challenges. The wide coverage Seminar in 2006 and 2009. Nonetheless,
of the topic not only addressed urgent since 2012, there was no English forum
contemporary issues, but also looked at organised by YBAM. YBAM had organised
the basic duties as Buddhists towards six English forums between 2002 to 2012.
the life, which indeed reflecting how
072 Buddhists addressed the contemporary For the Chinese forums, since the 073

50 YEARS OF DHARMA PRO PA GATION CO NTINUING THE MIS SION IN THE 5G ER A