International Buddha Poornima Diwas 2015 to be celebrated tomorrow The International Buddha Poornima Diwas 2015 will be celebrated, here tomorrow. The programme is organized by the International Buddhist Confederation with the support of Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs. A special prayer to express solidarity with the people of India and Nepal will be organized on this occasion, and the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi will lead the nation in prayers and solidarity with the people of India and Nepal - the land of birth of Buddha. The Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism and Culture, MoS for Civil Aviation, Dr. Mahesh Sharma and the Minister of State for Home Affairs and the Chairman of the Celebration Committee, Shri Kiren Rijiju will also be present. Members of Parliament, Ambassadors, Eminent Scholars, Buddhist Monks and Nuns from India and various other countries will also participate. Large number of followers of Buddha Dharma from all over India are expected to attend the event. Buddha Poornima or Vesak is recognized as the thrice sacred day that marks the Birth, Enlightenment and Mahaparinirvana of Lord Buddha. While Buddha was born in Lumbini in Nepal, Buddha attained enlightenment in Bodhgaya in Bihar, Preached first in Sarnath and Nirvana in Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh. The move to host International Buddha Poornima Diwas Celebration 2015 was initiated under the aegis of International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) by the Prime Minster, Shri Narendra Modi and the MoS Home, Shri Kiren Rijiju who have accorded the importance in preservation and promotion of shared heritage and development of Buddhist pilgrimage and heritage circuit in top priority. International Buddhist Confederation is a global Buddhist umbrella body headquartered in New Delhi and boasts a membership of over 300 bodies, both monastic and lay, including national federations and sanghas, spread over 39 countries. Among the stated objectives of the organization is preservation and development of Buddhist heritage, traditions and knowledge worldwide and to make Buddhist and universal human values and principles a part of the ongoing global social and political discourse on topics that include environment, inter-faith understanding and conflict avoidance and resolution.
