The Global Buddhist Summit 2023 held in New Delhi was a historic event and the first of its kind. It was hosted by the International Buddhist Confederation in collaboration with the Indian Ministry of Culture and saw participation from delegates representing nearly 30 countries including major Buddhist countries like Taiwan, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Mongolia. The summit was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and aimed to internalize universal values, find ways to work together in a harmonious manner and offer a sustainable model for the future of the world. The theme for the two-day conference was “Responses to Contemporary Challenges: Philosophy to Praxis”. The summit called upon all nations, organizations, and individuals to work towards creating a world free from conflict, violence, and war. The first session was aimed at sharing knowledge and promoting values that represent a united front for Buddhism and tackling issues confronting the world. The Prime Minister highlighted the importance of Bhagwan Buddha’s teachings and India’s inspiration from him in multiple fields. During his speech, he made an important observation, acknowledging India has not given war to the world, but Buddha. His Holiness Dalai Lama spoke about the resilient mindset that Buddhist teachings offer and how compassion lies at the heart of Buddha’s teachings. Eminent scholars, Sangha leaders, and Dhamma practitioners worldwide discussed pressing global issues under four themes at the summit. The discussions centered on how to adopt a global point of view to promote world peace, protect mother earth, and practice compassion using the universal values implicit in all religious traditions.
