On November 12th, in Thakhek town, Khammuane province, Central Laos, the Central Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Association, in coordination with the Central Committee of the Lao Buddhist Association, held the inauguration ceremony for phase 1 of the Bodhi Pagoda restoration project.
The inauguration ceremony of Bodhi Temple in Khammoune province, Laos. (Source: VNA)
Attendees included representatives from the Buddhist Alliance; the Vietnam Buddhist Association; the Lao Front for National Construction; the Vietnam Buddhist Coordination Board in Laos; the Vietnamese Consulate General in Savannakhet province; leaders from Khammuane province; representatives from the Lao
Ministry of Interior ; and a large number of Vietnamese Buddhist expatriates living and working in Laos, France, and Vietnam.
The inauguration ceremony was conducted in accordance with the religious rituals of Vietnamese and Lao Buddhism. Venerable monks from both Buddhist organizations emphasized the importance of Buddhism in the cultural and religious lives of the people of Laos and Vietnam. They acknowledged the long-standing presence and significant contributions of Vietnamese Buddhism to the spiritual lives of the Vietnamese community in particular, and to the solidarity between the people of the two countries in general, as well as to the development of Lao society. The venerable monks from both Buddhist organizations also stressed that Bodhi Pagoda is one of the first and oldest Vietnamese pagodas in Laos, and the necessity of restoring Bodhi Pagoda in Laos due to its serious deterioration caused by the passage of time. Expressing his hope that the Bodhi Pagoda in Laos will increasingly attract a large number of Vietnamese people to participate in spiritual activities, contributing to strengthening unity and solidarity within the Vietnamese community in Laos, and becoming a symbol of solidarity, not only in the religious field but also in the relationship between the two brotherly countries of Laos and Vietnam, Lao Deputy Minister of Interior Nisith Keopanya stated in his speech at the event that the Vietnamese Buddhist community and pagodas in Laos have made significant contributions to charitable activities to help society in Laos in general, and especially to people in remote areas and those affected by natural disasters in particular, through activities such as donating food, clothing, medicine, school supplies, material goods, and money in many provinces throughout Laos with a relatively large value, which has been recognized and praised by the Lao Party and
Government .
On behalf of the Lao Buddhist community, the Deputy Minister of the Lao Ministry of Interior also highly appreciated and sincerely thanked the valuable assistance of Vietnamese temples, Buddhists, and businesses in Laos, who have contributed to Lao society in the past, playing an important role in the socio-economic development and the development of Buddhism in Laos.
In Phase 1, the component inaugurated on this occasion, the project focused on restoring the Great Buddha Hall according to traditional Vietnamese architecture, blended with motifs from Lao culture and architecture. Most of the funding for Phase 1 of the project was donated by Buddhist followers in Laos, Vietnam, and Europe.
In the coming time, the temple will continue to appeal for the generosity of Buddhists and sponsors to continue restoring Bodhi Temple, worthy of being a common home, a place that unites and fosters a sense of homeland for the Vietnamese community in Khammuane province in particular and Laos in general.
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