High Commissioner Noordeen Mohamed Shaheid welcomed guests to a guest lecture at the Sri Lankan High Commission last week.

The lecture was given by renowned theologian and philosopher Rev Dr Sumana Sri, who hails from Sri Lanka but now lives in the United Kingdom and Malaysia, where he carries the title of royal philosopher.

The lecture by the Buddhist scholar was hosted by the Sri Lankan High Commission in collaboration with the Centre for Culture and Development and the International Council on Museums. It was on ‘The Significance of Gandhara in Buddhism’.

At the informal discussion afterwards, Dr Sri discussed the importance of social consciousness to reduce suffering. He also stressed that good thoughts, good actions and less worrying about the future can keep people healthier. “But one needs to transcend suffering to attain happiness,” he added.

Dr Esther Kyo Soon Park, a South Korean specialist on Gandhara art and culture living in Pakistan, was among the participants of the event, along with Dr Nadeem Omar Tarar, a cultural anthropologist and former executive director of the Rawalpindi National Council of Arts.

They both emphasised the importance of recognising the Buddhist history of Pakistan and the religious and cultural links that exist between Pakistan, South Korea and other Buddhist countries in Southeast Asia.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2019