The Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC) and the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka held a webinar on the Dhamma for global well-being.
It was webcast live on the Facebook page of Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Colombo.
The panelists from Sri Lanka participating in the webinar marking Esala Poya day were Head, Department of History, University of Kelaniya, Ven. Galkande Dhammananda Thera, Professor of Sociology, University of Sri JayewardenepuraDr. Praneeth Abeysundara, Dean, Faculty of Buddhist Studies and Professor, Department of Religious Studies and Comparative Philosophy, Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka, Prof. Samantha Ilangakoon and novelist Daya Dissanayake.
The panelists from India included Vice Chancellor, Nav Nalanda Mahavihara (Deemed University), Ministry of Culture, Government of India, Dr. Bimalendra Kumar, Professor and Head, Department of Pali and Buddhist Studies, Banaras Hindu University, Dr. Baidyanath Labh, Professor and Head, Department of Pali, University of Calcutta, Dr. Saswati Mutsuddy, and Director of Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Embassy of India, Hanoi, Vietnam, Dr. G. B. Harsiha.Director, Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Colombo, Dr. Rewant Vikram Singh, delivered the welcome remarks and moderated the webinar.The panelists discussed the significance of the Buddha Dhamma for global well-being, particularly considering the current challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The scholars stressed on the need for compassion and kindness towards each other and suggested that only through right physical, verbal and mental actions, as prescribed by the Buddha, can ensure global well-being.