Lanka to participate in Buddhist Summit in Japan

Mahanayake of the Asgiriya Chapter Most Ven. Udugama Sri Buddharakkithabidhana Thera and Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka will lead a high powered Sri Lankan delegation to the Fifth World Buddhist Summit to be held from October 31 to November 10 in Kobe City, Japan.

The Summit attended by delegates from 33 countries will be held at the Royal Grand Hall of Buddhism in Kobe City. The organisation of the Buddhist Summit is handled by a team led by Most Ven. Dr. Kyuse Enshinjoh, Founder Priest of Nenbutsushu Buddhist Sect of Japan and Chief Priest of the Royal Grand Hall of Buddhism.

Ven. Hiroshi Fujikura is the Secretary General of the Buddhist Summit. The Sri Lankan Co-ordinator of the Summit is Senior Superintendent of Police Subhash Weerasinghe. A major feature of the Fifth Summit is the 'A World Peace Prayer' in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in memory of the victims of the atomic bombs dropped on the two cities.

The organisers and delegates representing 370 million Buddhists of the world will appeal to the world leaders to reconsider what true World Peace is through prayers and not to use the stockpiles of sophisticated nuclear weapons at their command.

Among the Sri Lankan delegates are Most Ven. Weweldeniye Medhalankara Mahanayake Thera of the Ramanna Nikaya, Education Minister Susil Prem Jayantha, Religious Affairs Minister Pandu Bandaranaike Mr and Mrs. Lakshman Jayakody and Mr and Mrs. Mangala Moonesinghe.