Closing Ceremony of the Buddhist Culture Week in Nghe An

(Baonghean.vn) - On the evening of August 18, 2012, the closing ceremony of the Buddhist Culture Week in Nghe An took place in Vinh City. Attending the closing ceremony, on behalf of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha were Venerable Thich Thanh Dan, member of the Central Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha; Venerable Thich Thanh Nhieu – Permanent Vice Chairman of the Central Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, Head of the Nghe An Buddhist Sangha Executive Board; and representatives of the Venerable members of the Central Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha. Representing the leadership of Nghe An province was Mr. Dinh Viet Hong - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee.

Delegates and a large number of monks, nuns, and Buddhist followers respectfully performed the ceremony.



The venerable monks and abbots at the ceremony.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Venerable Thich Thanh Nhieu, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Central Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and Head of the Nghe An Buddhist Association, likened Nghe An Buddhism to a stream full of fertile silt; it urgently needs gardeners to cultivate that silt. The Venerable also emphasized the need to guide Nghe An Buddhism in the right direction, bringing peace and happiness to life and to the nation. He also expressed his gratitude to the leaders of the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People's Council, the Provincial People's Committee, and the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee for their support and attention to the successful completion of the Week. Also at the ceremony, Professor Cao Huy Thuan (a Vietnamese-French Buddhist, currently a professor of political science at the University of Picardi, France) stated that Nghe An, having once boasted over 500 temples since the founding of the nation, is naturally considered a land of Buddhism from ancient times, and therefore a land of "spiritual significance and outstanding people." The recent 2012 Buddhist Culture Week once again provided an opportunity to witness the profound devotion to Buddhism shown by the people of Nghe An province.

The Buddhist choir opened the program "Buddhist Heart Songs".





The dance performances participating in the "Buddhist Heart Song" program.

The closing ceremony concluded with a musical program themed "Buddhist Heart Songs," featuring 14 performances praising Buddhism, the country, and the nation by artists and Buddhists from Hanoi, Hue, and Nghe An.

Tran Hai