Attending the ceremony, on the side of Sri Lanka were Ms. Yasoja Gunasekera, Deputy Secretary, in charge of bilateral affairs for East Asia - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka; Mr. Prasanna Gamage, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Vietnam; Ms. Ho Thi Thanh Truc, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Vietnam; Nun Dr. Thich Nu Nhu Nguyet, Director of the Buddhist Women's Research Center of the Vietnam Institute of Buddhist Studies, Vietnam Buddhist University, Ho Chi Minh City, Deputy Editor and Managing Director of Hoa Dam Special Journal; Dr. Ton Sinh Thanh, Former Ambassador of Vietnam to Sri Lanka. On VIISAS side, there were Dr. Pham Cao Cuong, Deputy Director in charge of the VIISAS; Dr. Phan Cao Nhat Anh, Deputy Director of the VIISAS; Dr. Le Thi Hang Nga, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of VIISAS with the participation of Special Issue authors from Sri Lanka and Vietnam, researchers and a large number of VIISAS officials, civil servants and employees.
On behalf of VIISAS Leaders, Dr. Pham Cao Cuong gave the opening speech and warmly welcomed the attendance of delegates from Sri Lanka and Vietnam. As of October 2021, the launch ceremony of the first Special Issue on Sri Lanka published by the Journal of Indian and Asian Studies in collaboration with the Embassy of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka has been solemnly organized with the presence of leaders of diplomatic missions and a large number of prestigious scholars and researchers of the two countries. Dr. Pham Cao Cuong also expressed his joy when representing VIISAS leaders to greet delegates in a glad at the Launching Ceremony of the second Special Issue of Sri Lanka in Vietnam. At the same time, Dr. Pham Cao Cuong highly appreciated the VJISAS’s idea in publishing of a special edition of the journal themed “Sri Lanka - Vietnam Buddhist and Historical Relations” this year.
Through this special event, Dr Pham Cao Cuong expressed his belief through the publication of a lot of academic knowledge and experiences of scholars of the two countries about the fundamental principles of Buddhism and Buddhist culture, it will be introduced to readers to help them better understand the culture, core values and the connection between the two countries. The success of the special issue will make an important contribution to promoting people-to-people exchanges, strengthening cultural-religious ties and bonding friendships in the societies of the two countries.
Speaking at the launching ceremony, Ambassador Prasanna Gamage expressed his pleasure to attend the launching ceremony of the Special Issue on "Sri Lanka - Vietnam Buddhist and Historical Relations. The Ambassador highly appreciated the efforts of scholars from the two countries in launching this Special Issue. That has contributed to providing a platform to publish research results as well as to enhance mutual understanding about Buddhist Relations between Sri Lanka and Vietnam. In addition, this Special Issue is intended to help professionals, scholars and the general public improve their theoretical and practical understanding of the Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism traditions.
The Sri Lankan and Vietnamese delegates shared their view that through Buddhism and Buddhist culture, it is possible to find points of harmony, connecting the two countries. An undeniable fact that both countries have absorbed the quintessence of Buddhism to forge their own culture. If India and Nepal are known as the homeland, the place of propagation of Buddha, Sri Lanka is considered a place to transmit and preserve the spiritual heritage of Buddhism in general and Theravada Buddhism in particular. Meanwhile, Vietnamese Buddhism, despite having many traditions, is also influenced by certain Theravada, commonly known in Vietnam as Theravada Buddhism.
On this occasion, Nun, Dr Thich nu Nhu Nguyet congratulated VJISAS Magazine, VIISAS and the Embassy of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Vietnam for successfully cooperating in publishing a Special Issue on “Sri Lanka - Vietnam Buddhist and Historical Relations”. The nun emphasized: “For more than half a century, Vietnamese Buddhism and Sri Lankan Buddhism have accompanied each other on many missions, although Vietnamese Buddhism has many traditions, it is also influenced by Theravada Buddhism from Sri Lanka. It can be said that Theravada Buddhism is the connection between Vietnam and Sri Lanka throughout history, creating a very unique feature in the relationship between the two countries.” At the same time, the nun respectfully thanked Mr Prasanna Gamage, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Sri Lanka to Vietnam, for promoting Buddhist relations between Vietnam and Sri Lanka during his tenure in Vietnam.
The launching Ceremony of the special issue of Sri Lanka was solemnly held after the delegates' speeches. The organizers of the ceremony also gave a gift of gratitude to Ambassador of Sri Lanka Prasanna Gamage (on the occasion of the end of his working term in Vietnam).
Taking place within the framework of the ceremony, the session on “Sri Lanka - Vietnam Buddhist and Historical Relations” was chaired by Dr. Phan Cao Nhat Anh, Nun, Dr. Thich Nu Nhu Nguyet, Dr. Le Thi Hang Nga with the participation of the authors of the Special Issue: Dr. Lenagala – Sri Niwasa Thero, Department of Linguistics, the Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka; Dr. Rathnasiri – Rathnayake, Postgraduate Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka; Nun, Dr. Thich Nu My Thuy, Vietnam Buddhist Research Institute in Ho Chi Minh City; MSc. Tran Ngoc Diem, Vietnam Institute of Indian and Southwest Asian Studies. The content of the discussion shared the views of scholars on the historical link connecting the two countries and the prospect of promoting bilateral relations based on this traditional hyphen. Nun, Dr. Thich Nu Nhu Nguyet affirmed that this is an interesting topic because it is a prominent aspect of the relationship between the two countries.
Concluding the discussion, Dr. Le Thi Hang Nga, Deputy Editor-in-chief of VJIAS and Mr. Mahesh Premathlake, Representative of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam respectfully expressed their deep gratitude to the companions and friends over the past time. The Launching Ceremony of the scientific journal issues special edition on “Sri Lanka - Vietnam Buddhist and Historical Relations” marked an important turning point in the relationship between the partners of the two countries, contributing to strongly promoting the growing friendship and diplomatic relations.
Thu Trang và VIISAS
