The 2nd Global Buddhist Summit was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Union Minister of Culture & Tourism, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on 24 January 2026. The two-day summit is being organised on 24-25 January by the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. Hon’ble Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju, attended the summit as the Guest of Honour.
The summit is being held under the theme “Collective Wisdom, United Voice, and Mutual Coexistence,” highlighting the relevance of Buddhist philosophy in promoting social harmony and constructive global engagement. Aligned with the IBC’s motto, “Collective Wisdom, United Voice,” the summit serves as a global platform for dialogue, unity, and shared reflection rooted in Buddhist thought.
The programme commenced with Mangala Archana by venerable monks from the Theravada and Nalanda traditions. Around 200 delegates, heads of national Buddhist Sanghas, eminent monks, scholars, and senior dignitaries from across the world, participated in the summit, which witnessed an overall attendance of over 800 participants. State leaders, Sangha members, Dhamma practitioners, and Buddhist scholars came together to deliberate on Buddhist perspectives on contemporary global challenges.
As part of the cultural programme, Dr Aditi Sharma Garg recited the Karaniya Metta Sutta, embodying the Buddha’s teachings of love and compassion. The Ladakh State cultural group presented Shondol, a traditional folk dance of Ladakh.
The summit featured a distinguished panel of international speakers, including H.E. Mr. Maris Sangiampongsa, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand; Most Venerable Thich Duc Thien, Member of the National Assembly of Vietnam and Vice President & General Secretary of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha. Prominent members of the global Buddhist Sangha, including H.E. Gyeltrul Jigme Rinpoche (India), His Eminence Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche (Bhutan), Most Venerable Ashin Kumara (Myanmar), Prof. Dr Subarna Lal Bajracharya (Nepal), Rev. Kosho Tomioka (Japan), Master Shih Jian-Yin (Taiwan), Ven. Ananda Bhante (India), and Prof. Robert Thurman (Padma Shri awardee, USA), were among the eminent participants.
Deliberations were organised across five thematic sessions: Collective Wisdom and United Voice for Social Harmony; Entrepreneurship and Right Livelihood in Buddha Dhamma; Scientific Research, Healthcare, Medicine and Sustainable Living; Learning in the Light of Buddha Dhamma; and Sangha Dynamics, Roles, Rituals, and Practice in Buddha Dhamma. The summit also showcased curated exhibitions on Sacred Relics & Cultural Engagement in Contemporary India and Virasat se Vishwa: India’s Buddha Dhamma Outreach. Discussions focused on applying Buddhist principles to ethical leadership, social harmony, and sustainable living amid rapid technological change, consumerism, and environmental challenges.
Addressing the summit, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat welcomed the esteemed dignitaries and venerable monks from across the globe and emphasised the relevance of the summit’s theme in the present global context. He highlighted initiatives undertaken by the Ministry of Culture under the guidance of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, including the international exposition of the sacred relics of Lord Buddha, reaffirming India’s role as a custodian of shared Buddhist heritage and a bridge between ancient wisdom and contemporary global dialogue.
The Minister further stated that under Gyan Bharatam, the Government of India is undertaking one of the world’s largest initiatives for the digitisation of ancient manuscripts. Buddhist texts in Pali, Prakrit, Sanskrit, Tibetan, and other classical languages preserved on palm leaves, birch bark, and handmade paper are being digitally conserved to ensure long-term access to the Buddha’s teachings, combining tradition with technological innovation.
A key highlight of the summit was the live demonstration of NORBU (Neural Operator for Responsible Buddhist Understanding), an AI-based language model trained on Buddhist textual traditions. The IBC adopted NORBU as its global patron and named it “Kalyan Mitra,” reflecting its commitment to leveraging technology to connect younger generations with Buddhist wisdom.
