New Delhi

The 12th General Assembly of the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace (ABCP) is scheduled to take place on January 17 and 18 in New Delhi, India. The assembly is expected to witness the presence of Indian Vice President, Jagdeep Dhankhar, who will inaugurate the event in the company of Minister of Earth Sciences, Kiren Rijiju.

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The assembly follows in the footsteps of its predecessors, with the third conference in 1974 resulting in the "New Delhi Declaration," presided over by the then president of India, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed.

This year's assembly will attract participants from member countries such as Mongolia, Russia, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Japan, Cambodia, Laos, South Korea, Vietnam, and Malaysia, as well as special invitees including Bhutan, Myanmar, and Thailand.

The delegates will converge in New Delhi to emphasise their commitment to promoting the teachings of Lord Buddha on peace and universal humanity. The General Assembly is expected to pass a resolution as well. 

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Established in 1969 at the request of Mongolia's Khambo Lama Samaagiin Gombojov, the ABCP has evolved into a voluntary mass movement, uniting Buddhist dignitaries from nations such as India, Mongolia, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Vietnam, Srilanka, South Korea and even North Korea.

Recognising its impactful work, the United Nations granted the ABCP the status of an accredited Non-Governmental Organisation with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), highlighting its role as a key player in sustainable development and peace advocacy. The headquarters of the organisation is situated in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.