KATHMANDU- Preparations have begun for the World Buddhist Conference to be held here in coming October. Likewise, the distribution of the International Peace Prize, which remained suspended for the past few years, will also resume along with International Buddhist Conference to be held at the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, Shanu Raja Shakya, member-secretary of Lumbini Development Trust said.
The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation will decide the winner of the International Peace Prize. Meanwhile, a meeting held under the chairmanship of Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, on Friday had decided to take the initiative with the Government of Nepal to provide free visa to all those coming from countries following the Buddhist culture on the occasion of the upcoming Buddha Jayanti, Treasurer of the Fund Dhundiraj Bhattarai said.
Likewise, marking Buddha’s birth anniversary a ‘Go to Lumbini’ Tiktok competition will also be organized. The Tiktok competition is being organized for further publicity and tourism promotion of Lumbini, Bhattarai said. A decision has also been taken to repair the newly constructed International Assembly Hall in Lumbini as rain water leaked into the hall a few days ago.
The International Assembly Hall was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba last year on the occasion of Buddha Poornima. The payment of the construction company has been stopped until the problem of leakage is resolved. Likewise, the Trust has decided to conduct the Lumbini Sanitation Campaign under the leadership of Vice Chair Bhikshu Metteyya.