2020 Annual Report Presentation

The 94^th WFB EXCO meeting on 7 November 2019 at the WFB headquarter suddenly became our sweet memories. We didn’t have a slightest imagination that the world would drastically change to be the world we have been living now. The world from a global village shrink itself to the isolation of each country. Many countries apply policy of locking down the country to survive in isolation. The usual conference and meeting suddenly prone to virus infection. The result? We as the WFB members are isolated in our own countries. Meeting in physical suddenly became a taboo. And here we are seeing each other virtually online. While it destroyed our custom of meeting each other physically in other hand it saves our budget in flying, accommodation and meals for the council meeting. This may call blessing in disguise!

Regardless of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have witnessed worldwide that Buddhist communities of monks and laymen do not just wait for COVID-19 karmic effect but creatively reacted to the pandemic either through religious paradigm or humanitarian paradigm. We have seen the influence of Buddhist chanting worldwide. We have seen humanitarian action from Buddhist communities everywhere. Each Buddhist help out each other according to their resource and capacity. This is a true model for the world how Buddhists cope with the pandemic without panic. The teaching of compassion suddenly visible among all Buddhist communities. We have seen each WFB regional centers dedicate themselves in fighting spirit towards the pandemic. How each WFB regional center reacted to the pandemic can be seen from the WBU website.

As the honorary rector, I have engaged myself in the name of the WBU with many activities of lectures, conferences, and contributed Buddhist communities by applying Buddhist teachings to cope with the pandemic.

To illustrate what the WBU have achieved and made some global impact within a year (from November 2019 to November 2020), I would take this opportunity to briefly update the WFB EXCOs and all who are presented on this 95th WFB EXCO Online Meeting as follows: