The Third International Buddhist Conference on the United Nations Day of Vesak was concluded successfully, with the issuance of a 13-point joint communiqué. A total of 2,310 Buddhist leaders from 46 countries took part in this conference, held at Buddhamonthon in Nakhon Pathom and the United Nations Conference Center in Bangkok from May 7 to 10. They explored the issues concerning Buddhism and the world.

The Chairman of the Joint International Organizing Committee of the UN Day of Vesak, Phra Dharmakosajarn, said that the joint communiqué includes several action plans, such as a call for the setting up of more Buddhist meditation centers throughout the world and for that purpose to nurture more meditation teachers.

In the joint communiqué, the conference has agreed to promote the creation of consistent and easily usable educational materials for children, adolescents, and adults through the establishment of an e-library. This library serves as the central repository of Buddhist content in electronic medium, initially as a partnership between Buddha Dharma Education and BuddhaNet and Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University.

The conference also agreed to compile and publish an informed work on Buddhism to be freely distributed to hotels worldwide as part of the effort to disseminate Buddhism. A subcommittee of the Joint International Organizing Committee will be formed to carry on the work. In addition, an international body will be created to deal with public relations for Buddhism. The conference urged all parties, the United Nations, UNESCO, and concerned government and agencies to preserve both the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Buddhists.

Another action plan involves the promotion of practices that transform the inner being, manifesting themselves in qualities of self-discipline, volunteerism, simplicity, and skillful consumption. It also includes proactive efforts contributing to social activism and partnering in the development of new economic paradigms.

The conference agreed to encourage a holistic approach to sustainable development, based on the Buddhist central teaching of the Middle Way, which is exemplified in the philosophy of ?Sufficiency Economy,? put forward by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. It acknowledged the urgency of improving gender status in order to bring to an end the detriment to individuals, communities, and ecology of inequitable and unbalanced development. The conference also agreed to affirm that Falungong is not in accordance with the fundamental teachings of Buddhism.

Phra Dharmakosajarn said that the Fourth International Buddhist Conference would be held in Thailand in 2005, coinciding with the 80th birthday anniversary of His Majesty the King. Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University was entrusted with coordinating the International Secretariat of the Joint International Organizing Committee to facilitate follow-up actions and the next conference.

Two visions are included in the joint communiqué. One is that the gathering of Buddhist leaders will further increase and enhance cooperation between all schools of Buddhism to promote unity among Buddhists. The other is that the leaders will promote socially engaged actions to create dharmic societies through the emphasis of the central role of inner peace development, and by addressing the motivations that drive feeling / thought, speech, and action that create discord

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