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I was fortunate to join the second delegation, led by WFB
T he Great This Conference sends Secretary General Mr. Phallop Thaiary, which visited China from
26 June to 1 July 2014. During the visit, we were driven from Xi
st
Significance is prepared to contribute An to Baoji along a highway, which is in perfectly good condition,
the message that China
but is being widened and upgraded to welcome the influx of visitors.
of the WFB even more towards We were also shown the magnificent Famen Temple, where we were
told 100 million reminbi was poured in to renovate the compound
Conference global peace, stability, of the temple, in preparation for the Conference. The press session
and harmony, as it did
to announce the conference was held at the People’s Assembly Hall
in Baoji before. in Beijing. All these go to show the commitment and dedication of
the Chinese government and people to this event.

I first attended the WFB conference in 1984. Subsequently
The 27 General Conference of the World Fellowship of I attended many other conferences. Somehow, I feel that the
th
Buddhists (WFB) is scheduled to be held from 14 to 19 Oct Baoji conference will be one that is of special significance, for the
th
th
2014 at the historic city of Baoji, Shanxi Province, China. following reasons.

This event, hailed as one of the most significant events in Firstly, this event will be of great significance to the Chinese as it
the history of Chinese Buddhism as well as the history of world signifies the connectivity of the Chinese people to the rich Buddhist
Buddhism, is expected to attract 500 Buddhist leaders of all cultural heritage that once served as the beacon of Buddhism in
traditions from all parts of the world. Asia.

The opening ceremony of the conference, to be attended by Baoji, and for that matter the whole Shanxi and other provinces
10,000 Buddhists, will be held at the renown Famen Temple, where in Central China, was the birthplace of Chinese civilisation long
the finger relic of the Buddha is enshrined. before the advent of Buddhism in China. The word “zhonghua”
(Middle Flower or Chinese) originated in Baoji, and the world
The organiser of this event, the Buddhist Association of China, “zhongguo” (Middle Kingdom or China) was first found engraved
together with the organising committee of Baoji Municipality and in a bronzeware discovered in Baoji in 1963.
the organising committee of Shanxi Province, had gone all out to
ensure that this event will be a great success. They had twice invited However, of equally great importance is that central China was
delegations from the WFB headquarters to witness the preparation also the cradle of Buddhism where Buddhism has its renaissance
that is being carried out on the ground. after it was destroyed and uprooted in India.

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