A two-day International Buddhist Conference started in the Nepalese capital here on Thursday.

Inaugurating the international conference being organized by the Nepalese government, Prime Minister K.P Sharma Oli said that the conference is being organized to spread message to the world that the Lord Buddha was born in Nepal.

"In the annals of this great tradition, the contribution of Lord Buddha and Buddhism to the development of our civilization must be assessed. We have not been able to glorify our rich civilizations, our oriental values and philosophies on a global scale while our ancestors were the pioneers in leading human civilizations," the prime minister addressed the conference.

"We must make concerted efforts to project our rich cultural heritage as an embodiment of our collective identity."

Prime Minister Oli said that Lord Buddha is an embodiment of the quest for truth and peace.

"For us, he is not just the light of Asia. He is the light of the whole world. His teachings provide, in the form of Buddhism, a strong foundation on which our historical and cultural identities have been shaped. And, we are proud to share this glorious tradition," he said.

The prime minister expressed gratitude to neighbouring China, India and UNESCO for their continued support in the development of Lumbini.

Hundreds of Buddhists scholars, monks and government delegates from around the world are attending the conference under the theme of "Lumbini, Nepal: the birthplace of Lord Buddha and Fountain of Buddhism and the World Peace."

A high-level delegation of scholars and monks from China under the leadership of Yin Shun, vice chairman of Buddhist Association of China, is participating in the event.

"China and Nepal enjoy friendly relations for decades. We want to enhance cooperation with Nepal in many areas including the promotion of Buddhism," he said.

Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Wu Chuntai is also attending the function.

The Nepalese government is organizing a separate function on Saturday in Lumbini, the birth place of the Lord Buddha, to commemorate the 2,560th birth anniversary of Buddha. Endit

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