In a significant step towards strengthening Buddhist academic and cultural cooperation between IBC, India and LBU, Nepal, Col. Yash Saxena, Director, International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), visited Lumbini Buddhist University (LBU) to explore avenues for collaboration under the existing Memorandum of Understanding between the two institutions.
The MoU, signed earlier, envisages a broad spectrum of joint initiatives including academic exchanges, research collaborations, cultural programs, and heritage conservation activities in Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Col. Saxena’s visit aimed to translate these commitments into concrete action plans.
During his visit, Col. Saxena engaged in a constructive meeting with Dr. Manik Ratna Shakya, Dean of the Faculty of Buddhist Studies, along with faculty members Dr. Nir Bahadur Gurung, Kamal Thapa, and Neshan Shrestha. Discussions focused on identifying specific academic and cultural activities that can be jointly organized in the near future. Both sides expressed their determination to initiate such activities at the earliest, marking a new chapter in Indo-Nepal Buddhist academic cooperation.
The meeting was coordinated by Prof. Arvind Kumar Singh, Professor, ICCR Chair at LBU, who is also associated with IBC in various capacities since its foundation. Following the discussions, Prof. Singh accompanied Col. Saxena on a tour of key university facilities like the Central Library, the Office of the Central Campus, and the centrally located Buddha Stupa, symbolizing the university’s spiritual and academic mission.
Col. Saxena remarked that LBU’s rich academic environment, coupled with Lumbini’s unique heritage status, offers an unparalleled platform for advancing the IBC’s mission of fostering Buddhist studies and cultural diplomacy. University officials likewise acknowledged that collaboration with IBC will bring global visibility and enhanced scholarly engagement to LBU.
The visit concluded with a mutual assurance that both institutions will soon announce the first set of joint academic and cultural events, embodying the spirit of the MoU and reinforcing the shared Buddhist heritage that unites India and Nepal.
