KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 (Sin Chew Daily) — A total of 11,000 Buddhists across the world attend the 2020 Buddha's Light International Association (BLIA) World Headquarters Online General Conference this year.

Space and time are no longer the barrier for the virtual meeting. As the world is facing COVID-19 pandemic, people are locked at home.

BLIA members rely on top-notched technology for all to meet at the cyberspace instead, sharing the joy of meeting one another online.

BLIAs across the world presented their reports respectively on contribution made in sectors such as cultural, education, charity and dharma learning. The focus was on various relief plans carried out in the last ten months by BLIA members to help individuals, families, communities and the countries during the pandemic.

BLIA acting president Ven Tzu Jung said in the opening address that BLIA members have helped members of the public during this difficult time by performing good deeds.

"The meeting today has discussed the vegetarian campaign, a campaign for everyone to become healthier with less disaster for the world," she said. 

BLIA members from Europe, the United States, Africa, Asia and Oceania attended the online meeting at the same time. More than 1,000 BLIA members in Malaysia joined the meeting.

A total of nine languages were used during the meeting: Chinese, English, French, Portuguese, Japanese, German, Spanish, Cantonese and Korean. 

In a pre-recorded video, founding president of BLIA Ven Master Hsing Yun extended his well wishes to all the members.

Ven Hsin Bao, president of BLIA, said the annual general meeting was not held at Fo Guang Shan in Taiwan due to the virus outbreak, but all BLIA members were connected without any barrier through the online platform to exchange their views.

Ven Hsin Bao said apart from COVID-19, there were other international issues such as supporting the call made by United Nations to strike a balance between conservation and ecosystem, promoting tree-planting projects through participation of youths and corporations.

"During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is essential for one to maintain inner peace through dharma, compassion and wisdom," he said.

Ven Xin Bao also recognized the contribution made by BLIA members across the world to assist those in need of help for humanistic Buddhism to spread even further.

Wu Po Hsiung, honorary president of BLIA, said Master Hsing Yun's message was full of wisdom and compassion. The message helped to calm one's mind and was a moral boost to extend a helping hand to those in need.

A forum hosted by BLIA secretary general Ven Chueh Pei shared with BLIA members on how to maintain optimism in the ever-changing world.

Several resolutions were passed during the annual general meeting, including the launch of BLIA T-Earth Project, promote micro movie competition on three good deeds and more youth-related activities to be held.

The 30th anniversary of BLIA and the next annual general meeting will be held from October 2 to 7, 2021 in Fo Guang Shan, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.