Education and Global Citizenship in Buddhism Perspective

(27-05-2013)

The Minister of Education, Mr. Phongthep Thepkanjana, gave a lecture entitled, "Education and Global Citizenship: a Buddhist Perspective" at the 10th Anniversary Celebration of United Nations Day of Vesakha Pucha. The lecture was attended by 1,400 academics, Buddhist leaders and monks from 87 countries.

Mr. Phongthep said that the Thai government was concerned with reforming Thai education to suit world society and globalization, so it put an emphasis on school development based on religious principles, especially Buddhism. By so doing, students will learn civil responsibility and democratization in order to be able to understand problems in accordance with the Lord Buddha's principles of compassion, sympathy, gladness of another's good fortune and detachment. If Thai students understand these principles, society will be peaceful.


The rector of Maha Chulalongkorn Rajawitthayalai University, Phra Phrom Bandit, as the chair of the Association of World Visakha Pucha, said that the United Nations had recently certified the Association to be a special advisor for the UNESCAP because it was also working on peace-keeping. As a result, any statements made by the Association will also be submitted to the UNl.