Intercultural Dialogue Trip to Turkey 2012

This event was hosted by Pearl Institute (Formerly known as Anatolia Cultural & Dialogue Centre) , for two delegations from Buddhistdoor and the HKU Centre for Buddhist Studies Alumni Association (CBSAA). From the 24th of July to the 4th of August (for A group; 6th to 16th of August for B group) the PI, a non-governmental Turkish cultural organization, extended an invitation to the Hong Kong Buddhist groups in order to foster cultural exchange, dialogue, and interfaith understanding between different communities.

While travelling to various cities in Turkey, the Buddhistdoor/ CBSAA groups toured many historic religious monuments of Islamic and Christian faith; visited schools, media offices, charitable foundations, and a dialogue center;  to learn more about Turkish cultural heritage and daily Muslim life in this secular modern society. Not to mention shopping in bazaars, trying new foods, and meeting abundantly warm and hospitable Turkish nationals as our hosts! Buddhists and Muslims alike each came away with new seeds of understanding common virtues, shared human kinship, and mutual desire for peaceful societies in the world today. For articles related to this trip:

https://newlotus.buddhistdoor.com/en/news/d/30207