SE Asia: KovindRajgir (Bihar), Jan 11 (PTI) President Ramnath Kovindtoday said that India's Act East Policy was much more than a"diplomatic initiative", aimed at not merely sharing economicopportunities but also integration of dreams and hopes ofpeople of this country and South East Asia.
The president was addressing a function afterinaugurating the fourth International Dharma-Dhamma Conferenceorganised jointly by the Nalanda International University,Centre for Study of Religion and Society, India Foundation andthe Ministry of External Affairs here in Nalanda district.
"India's Act East Policy was much more than a diplomaticinitiative, aimed at sharing not merely economicopportunities, but an integration of dreams and hopes of thehundreds of millions who live in India and the South EastAsia," Kovind said.
He said that India, South East Asia and "other parts ofAsia that are covered by the Dharma-Dhamma footprint shared apast with a common source and inevitably, our destiny too islinked".
The inaugural function of the three-day conference, basedon the theme 'State and Social Order in Dharma DhammaTraditions', was attended by Bihar Governor Satyapal Mallik,Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister SushilKumar Modi, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana, amongothers.
Kovind also stressed that the "timing of this conferenceis very appropriate. We are marking the 25th anniversary ofthe ASEAN-India Dialogue Partnership. The month of January isa celebration of the India-ASEAN relations.
New Delhi will host a commemorative summit on January 25to mark the 25th anniversary of the Dialogue Partnershipbetween India and the ASEAN in which all the leaders of thegrouping are expected to participate.
"Along with several India scholars, I am told thisconference will hear the wise words of eminent internationaldelegates. They have come from far-off continents, includingboth North and South America. But most of all, they representthe breadth and diversity of Asia-from Central Asia toSouth East Asia," the president said.
"Each of the countries and societies represented at thisconference is unique.....Yet, all of them are recipients, insome manner, of the Dharma-Dhamma tradition. All of them havereceived the message of Lord Buddha -- a message that hastravelled across Asia and beyond," he added.
Kovind also observed that the "journey of Buddhism as apan-Asian creed and later a worldwide, began 2,500 years agoright here in Bihar. As such, the conference is acommemoration of a great phenomenon that has its origin righthere in this region".
Speaking about the Nalanda University, he recalled that"the ancient university that stood here was a marvel ofknowledge and wisdom. It was located in this very region ofIndia but had an international character...Similarly, today'sNalanda University represents the ever-lasting Dharma-Dhammaidentity. And it too is a cosmopolitan enterprise".
"The university's conceptualisation, founding and growthare the result of the cherished efforts by India and a host ofpartner countries, particularly from the ASEAN family," Kovindnoted.
Earlier, welcoming the delegates, Chief Minister Kumarexpressed the wish that an International Centre for ConflictResolution be set up at the Nalanda International Universityfor which his government will provide land.
He also said that a piece of land has been earmarked forproviding accommodation to heads of state who may visit theCentre once it starts functioning.
Kumar also fondly recalled Kovind's tenure as the Bihargovernor and pointed out that he was the first person to getelected to the top constitutional post while holding agubernatorial office.
Participants from 11 countries are attending the three-day conference in which 60 papers on its theme are likely tobe presented and discussed. PTI NAC SNSKJ.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.