New Delhi/ Raju Lama. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday the world is passing through challenges such as war, economic instability, terrorism, religious extremism and climate change and asserted that Lord Buddha’s ideas offer a solution to these problems.
Addressing the inaugural session of the Global Buddhist Summit here, he said it is the need of the hour that people and nations prioritise global interests along with their interest. The world will have to think about the poor and countries lacking resources, he said.
Modi asserted that India has been following the path shown by the Buddha and cited the country extending help to others, including Turkey after it was hit by an earthquake, to say that it has treated every human being’s pain as its own.
The prime minister noted that his government has constantly endeavoured to propagate the Buddha’s ideas and highlight the deep links Buddhism has with his birthplace in Gujarat and his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi.
Minister of Culture, Tourism & DoNER Kishan Reddy Gangapuram along with Minister of Law and Justice Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Culture & Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal and Minister of State for Culture and External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi, IBC Secretary General Ven. Dr. Dhammapiya including venerable monks & dignitaries from 30 countries graced the event.
The summit is being hosted by the Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation on April 20 and 21. The theme of the two-day summit is “Responses to Contemporary Challenges: Philosophy to Praxis”.-with inputs of PTI
