Dr. Pham Van Nga presented a paper at the conference "Exploring Historical, Spiritual, and Cultural Connections of Buddhism between India and Vietnam."

On October 20, 2024, Dr. Pham Van Nga, Head of External Relations and Communications at Van Lang Heritage Institute, delivered a presentation titled "How India and Vietnam Join in Buddhist Heritage Conservation?" at the Buddhist Conference.

The conference was held at Minh Dang Quang Monastery, featuring the distinguished presence of venerable dignitaries from the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and Buddhist Studies Institutes, including Most Venerable Thich Giac Toan, Thich Gia Quang, and Venerable Thich Nhat Tu. Also in attendance were Indian Ambassador Sandeep Arya, Indian Consul General Mohan Sethi, over 50 professors, doctors, and researchers from Vietnam and abroad, alongside more than 500 monks, nuns, and lay Buddhists. The event served not only as a platform for both nations to exchange experiences in heritage preservation, particularly Buddhist heritage, but also as a gateway to exploring new directions in safeguarding and developing ancient universities.

In his presentation, Dr. Pham Van Nga emphasized the importance of preserving documents, scriptures, and sculptures; restoring sacred sites; and promoting Indian culture to the Vietnamese and vice versa. He advocated integrating principles of mindfulness and non-violence into educational curricula, encouraging community involvement in heritage conservation, and fostering international tourism connections. Practical applications suggested include establishing healing centers, organizing Yoga Day, creating a The Road of Heritage Sites, and hosting joint festivals between the two nations. Dr. Nga also highlighted leveraging digital platforms to widely disseminate heritage values, particularly among the youth, and seeking governmental support from both countries to preserve and enhance the significance of these cultural treasures.

Dr. Pham Van Nga's participation in the seminar marks an important step for Van Lang University in entering and promoting the Lang Son Heritage, contributing to integrating it into the global heritage stream. This aligns with the spirit of Van Lang, as expressed by Dr. Nguyen Dac Tam, the late Chairman of the University's Founding Council, who hoped that the Van Lang Heritage Institute would be a place to preserve the original values to the future: "If we do not start preserving our heritage today, we will have nothing to leave for future generations. We won’t be able to educate our students about gratitude towards teachers, ancestors, and those who contributed to building our school so that we have what we have today."

News - Photos: Van Lang Heritage Institute