President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the 4th International Dharma-Dhamma Conference on "State and Social Order in Dharma-Dhamma Traditions" at Rajgir in Nalanda district.
- Nalanda University is organising the conference from January 11 to 13 at Rajgir International Convention Centre.
- The theme of the Conference is “State and Social Order in Dharma-Dhamma Tradition.”
- This is done in collaboration with the Centre for Study of Religion and Society, India Foundation, and the Ministry of External Affairs and the Government of India.
- The basic aim of this conference is to provide an opportunity to academics and policy makers from India and abroad to share ideas and build collaboration for a better world.
- The event is being organised as part of the commemorative events to celebrate the Silver Jubilee year of ASEAN-India Dialogue Partnership, with the active support of the Ministry of External Affairs.
- The attendees of the conference include President Ram Nath Kovind, Bihar Governor Satya Pal Malik, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development Assignments Tilak Marapana and Kingdom of Thailand's Minister for Culture Vira Rojpojchanarat.
Highlights of the Conference
- The President of India Ram Nath Kovind, in his speech, mentioned that through this Conference, India is marking the 25th anniversary of the ASEAN-India Dialogue Partnership.
- It is much more than a diplomatic initiative. It is not targeted at just greater trade and investment. The Act East Policy aims at sharing not merely economic opportunities but at an integration of the dreams and hopes of the hundreds of millions who live in India and in Southeast Asia.
- The President said that this conference is an attempt at enhancing understanding of the common roots and similarities of the diverse traditions of Dharma and Dhamma.
- The basic objective of the conference is to facilitate cross-pollination of ideas and foster harmony at the global level.
- It also seeks to explore the shared values of the dharmic traditions that may provide the guiding light to the world and a vibrant sense of inter-connectedness.
- As one of the defining principles of the human civilization, Dharma-Dhamma provided the structure upon which the broad array of human existence and cosmic life was built across the globe.
- The President said that long before the term became popular, Buddhism was the basis for an early form of globalisation and of interconnectedness in our continent.
- The notion of Dharma-Dhamma, in its manifold manifestations, includes truth and non-violence, peace and harmony, humaneness and spiritual linkages and universal fraternity and peaceful co-existence.
- It gave space to multiple ideas and liberal expression. It emphasised morality in individual life, in human partnerships and in social and economic transactions. It urged principles of living, working and cooperating in harmony with nature and the environment.
- The President mentioned in his speech that it is estimated that more than half the world’s current population lives in regions that have been historically influenced and in many cases continue to be influenced by the enlightenment that Lord Buddha attained and placed as a model before humanity. This is the vision that must inspire everyone in the 21st century as well. And this is truly what has been described as the Light of Asia.
