Kathmandu (AsiaNews) – Korean Buddhist leaders who arrived last night in the city of Lumbini, birthplace of the ‘Awakened One’, came together in the wee hours of this morning to pray all day for peace in Nepal and the world. The visit to Nepal will last five days and the 300 participants are scheduled to visit the most famous historical and cultural heritage sites of the country.
Called “Pilgrimage for World Peace,” the event is led by the famous Korean Buddhist leader Sun Mook Hye Ja, who told journalists that the pilgrimage to Nepal is meant to encourage peace in the world. During their stay the pilgrims “will pray for peace in this country and the world.”
Guru Hye Ja expressed serious concern for the situation Buddhists face in Nepal.
He also praised Sir Edmund Hillary, one of the best known mountaineers from New Zealand, who helped in the building of Buddhist schools and monasteries in Nepal.
This is the first visit by such large number of men religious since Nepal became a secular state and the government recognised the legitimacy of religious educational facilities, including Buddhist schools.
The “Pilgrimage for World Peace” was organised by the Service for Peace and Korean Culture Center. It should be followed by more; in fact 700 Buddhist pilgrims are expected to visit Nepal over the next two years.