Over the past four days, the All ceylon Buddhist congress delegation participated actively in the World Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB) meetings and related sessions in Bangkok. The delegation maintained a strong and visible presence, made constructive interventions within the limited opportunities available, and consistently advanced concerns relating to governance, transparency, and the need for renewed global relevance within the WFB system.
Key Activities & Highlights
● Represented Sri Lanka in close coordination with other Sri Lankan Buddhist
organisations, ensuring a coherent national presence and enhanced visibility.
● Intervened during floor discussions, the only space permitted for member inputs, to
raise structural issues, including the need for transparent budgeting, improved
governance, and more democratic decision-making processes.
● Conveyed official condolences on behalf of ACBC on the passing of Her Majesty
Queen Sirikit of Thailand.
● Secured ACBC representation in the UNESCO Committee, receiving positive
acknowledgement from its chair, enabling ACBC to play a more prominent role in
heritage and cultural cooperation.
● Flagged concerns regarding opaque financial practices, including the absence of prior
circulation of the budget and unclear reporting of fund allocations.
● Highlighted the lack of participatory decision-making, noting that critical decisions
and appointments appear to be taken privately without sufficient member
consultation.
● We also highlighted the need for increased use of AI in conveying the Buddha’s
message of peace and harmony in today’s strife stricken world. We encouraged the
WBF to work harder to make Wesak a UN holiday.
● Advocated for the WFB to reclaim its global relevance by re-energising its
engagement on issues of shared international Buddhist interest, such as Vesak
recognition, cultural diplomacy, and inter-Buddhist cooperation.
