Special Interest

Conference on Buddhist Approaches to Global Crisis

Dr. Jiang Wu, Associate Professor of East Asian Studies, was recently invited by the Thai Royal Government to attend the 6th International Conference linked to the United Nations Day of Vesak, which celebrates Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and passing away. The United Nations formally recognized Vesak in a General Assembly Resolution in 1999, and a celebration event was first held at UN Headquarters in New York in 2001. As a delegate from the United States, Dr. Wu joined participants from 80 countries in Bangkok, Thailand from May 4 – 6, 2009. Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana presided over the opening ceremony and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva gave a speech for the closing ceremony at the United Nations Convention Center. This event was highly profiled in Southeast Asia. Dr. Wu was invited to be a panelist in a one-day workshop on building a Union Catalog of Buddhist Texts, which resulted in a resolution signed by all participants. This resolution has been accepted by the International Association of Buddhist Universities and is now listed as one of the top priorities in the Bangkok Declaration and Action Plan passed in the closing ceremony.