The International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, will organise the 2nd Global Buddhist Summit (GBS) on 24^th and 25^th January 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.

The modern world is witnessing rapid social, political and environmental transformations, resulting in conflict, alienation and uncertainty. In this context, the timeless wisdom of the Buddha Dhamma, rooted in compassion, wisdom and harmony, offers valuable guidance for addressing contemporary global challenges. The principles of collective wisdom, united voice and mutual coexistence remain central to fostering peace, shared prosperity and deeper human connection.

Building on these foundational insights, the 2^nd Global Buddhist Summit will be held under the theme “Collective Wisdom, United Voice, and Mutual Coexistence.” The theme seeks to reinforce the relevance of Buddhist philosophy in nurturing societal harmony and promoting constructive international engagement.

Aligned with the motto of the IBC — “Collective Wisdom, United Voice” — the Summit is envisioned as a global platform reflecting the organisation’s enduring commitment to unity, dialogue and collective wisdom. As in the inaugural edition held in 2023, the  Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, is likely to inaugurate the Summit as the Chief Guest.

The Summit will witness the participation of around 200 delegates, including Supreme Patriarchs, heads of national Buddhist Sanghas, eminent monks, scholars and senior dignitaries from across the world, with an overall audience of over 800 participants.

The 2^nd GBS will bring together state leaders, Sangha members, Dhamma practitioners and Buddhist scholars to deliberate on Buddhist responses to some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity today. Discussions will explore how the fundamental values of the Buddha Dhamma can inspire ethical leadership, social harmony and sustainable living in an era marked by rapid technological advancement, consumerism and environmental degradation.

Event Details

            •  Theme: Collective Wisdom, United Voice, and Mutual Coexistence

            •  Dates: 24–25 January 2026

            •  Venue: Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi – 110001

Key Panellists and Speakers Include:

            •           H.E. Mr. Maris Sangiampongsa, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Thailand

            •           Most Venerable Thich Duc Thien, Padma Shri, Member of National Assembly of Vietnam and Vice President & General Secretary, Vietnam Buddhist Sangha

            •           H.E. Gyeltrul Jigme Rinpoche, President, Rigon Thupten Mindrolling Monastery, India

            •           His Eminence Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, Founder, Siddhartha’s Intent, Bhutan

            •           Most Venerable Ashin Kumara, Pro Rector, Sitagu International Buddhist Academy, Myanmar

            •           Prof. Dr. Subarna Lal Bajracharya, Vice Chancellor, Lumbini Buddhist University, Nepal

            •           Rev. Kosho Tomioka, Director, Japan Buddhist Federation, Japan

            •           Master Shih Jian-Yin, Secretary General, Buddhist Association of Taiwan

            •           Ven. Ananda Bhante, General Secretary, Mahabodhi Society, Bengaluru, India

            •           Prof. Robert Thurman, Padma Shri Awardee and renowned Buddhist scholar, USA

            •           among several other distinguished participants

Thematic Sessions

Deliberations will be organised under the following five thematic areas:

            1.         Collective Wisdom and United Voice for Social Harmony

            2.         Entrepreneurship and Right Livelihood in Buddha Dhamma

            3.         Scientific Research, Healthcare, Medicine and Sustainable Living in Buddha Dhamma

            4.         Learning in the Light of Buddha Dhamma

            5.         Sangha Dynamics: Roles, Rituals and Practice in Buddha Dhamma

Exhibitions and Special Highlights

The Summit will also feature a series of exhibitions, including:

            •           Sacred Relics & Cultural Engagement in Contemporary India

            •           Virasat se Vishwa: India’s Buddha Dhamma Outreach

A special highlight of the event will be a live demonstration of NORBU (Neural Operator for Responsible Buddhist Understanding) — a language learning model based on the ChatGPT algorithm. Trained on extensive Buddhist textual data, NORBU is designed to generate contextually relevant responses based on Buddhist teachings in multiple languages. The IBC has adopted NORBU as its global patron and named it “Kalyan Mitra” (Spiritual Friend), reflecting its commitment to engaging tech-savvy youth with Buddhist wisdom.

About the 1^st Global Buddhist Summit

The 1st Global Buddhist Summit was held on 20–21 April 2023 in New Delhi, with the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India as the Chief Guest. The Summit brought together over 170 delegates from 31 countries, including Supreme Heads of Sanghas, spiritual masters, eminent scholars and lay practitioners. Organised under the theme “Responses to Contemporary Challenges: Philosophy to Praxis,” it fostered meaningful dialogue on applying Buddhist principles to modern societal issues.

About the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC)

The International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) is a global Buddhist umbrella organisation headquartered in New Delhi under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. Established in 2011 under the patronage of the supreme Buddhist religious hierarchy, the IBC has a global membership of over 300 monastic and lay organisations. United by the motto “Collective Wisdom, United Voice,” the IBC aims to integrate Buddhist values into global discourse, promoting transparency, inclusiveness and balanced representation across traditions, genders and emerging Buddhist communities worldwide.

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Sunil Kumar Tiwari

pibculture[at]gmail[dot]com

(रिलीज़ आईडी: 2215691) आगंतुक पटल : 264