On Dec 8 Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Culture Dr Mahesh Sharma inaugurated the Festival the ‘Bodhi Parva: BIMSTEC Festival of Buddhist Heritage’
- Dr Sharma said that the message of Lord Buddha is as relevant in the twenty-first century as it was two and a half millennia ago and has been a unifying force among nations.
- The values of peace, accommodation, inclusiveness, and compassion that are part of our societies can be attributed to the influence of the teachings of Lord Buddha and Buddhism.
- Dr Sharma also said that as a regional organisation comprising seven Member States around the Bay of Bengal that brings together about one-fifth of the world population and a combined GDP of over US $ 2.8 trillion, BIMSTEC has a crucial role in the development of the region.
About BIMSTIC
- BIMSTIC (The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation)
- It is an international organisation involving a group of countries in South Asia and South East Asia.
- The countries are Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal.
- Estb: 6th June 1997
- BIMSTEC Headquarters is situated in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
