Thaindian News

Patna, Feb 3 (IANS) Hundreds of Buddhist scholars, academicians, monks, travel and tour operators and media persons from across the world will attend a two-day international Buddhist conclave at Nalanda in Bihar later this week.
‘International Buddhist Conclave - Experience Buddhism in the land of its origin’ is being held at Nalanda, about 100 km from here, Saturday and Sunday.

Delegates from more than two dozen countries including the US, Britain, China, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Hongkong, Australia and Sri Lanka are expected to attend the conclave.

“The Buddhist conclave at Nalanda was a move to revive an age old tradition of debates and discussions on various aspects of Buddhism and its relevance in the present day world,” state tourism department principal secretary Rashmi Verma said.

According to an official website of the conclave, the union ministry of tourism, Bihar tourism department and Nava Nalanda Mahavihara are organising the conclave.

“The main objective of the international conclave is to give a major thrust to cultural tourism and explore the potential related to the Buddhist circuit in India and especially in Bihar,” the website said.

During the conclave, there will be separate sessions connected with academics and tour operators to focus on developing and highlighting the Buddhist tourist potential of the state.

“We expect that the international conclave would not only give a big impetus to tourism but would open a gateway to rural tourism in the area. This would reveal to the participants the potential of heritage sites not yet known to the wider world,” the website said.