By IANS,
New Delhi: The four-day Global Buddhist Congregation in the capital came to a close Wednesday with the constitution of a new international Buddhist body to complement worldwide efforts to carry forward the faith – and preserve Buddhist relics in India and Nepal.
A resolution adopted by the Global Buddhist Congregation 2011 said a new international body called the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) will serve as a common platform for Buddhists worldwide, wherein Buddhists traditions will be well represented.
The confederation will be headquartered in the Indian capital.
The resolution said the “body will operate under the over-arching themes of collective wisdom, united voice and universal responsibility”.
The confederation will “not compete with the work of existing Buddhist organisations”.
A representative working committee with 40 members has been formed to prepare a draft constitution of the IBC and convene the first general conference to ratify it, the resolution said.
The responsibilities of the IBC will include “protection, preservation and promotion of Buddhist heritage worldwide – particularly in India and Nepal”, the resolution said.
It will provide common resource of Buddhist knowledge for “reference, research, education and elucidation” – and give priority to developing and training Buddhist communities in India.
The resolution said: “The confederation would present a united Buddhist voice, provide a forum for dialogue, understanding and cooperation among different Buddhist traditions and schools.”
It would also contribute to peace building and conflict resolution.
The resolution was presented at the crowded closing ceremony by senior lama Thich Quang Ba from Australia in the presence of more than 900 delegates from 46 nations in the capital.
The Nov 27-30 global conference was hosted by the Asoka Mission.