To: The Editor

From: Than Hsiang Temple ICT department.

Press Release

IBC lecturer and student dharma lecture tour

The International Buddhist College of Southern Thailand will conduct its annual Dharmaduta Tour from 10th to 20th April 2008 to thank the Malaysian public for their support of the College.

It is hoped that the interaction between the IBC lecturers/students and the public will convey our appreciation and gratitude for the support of the Buddhist community and update the public on the recent developments in IBC. The College also hopes to recruit more Malaysian students for the new academic year starting in July 2008.

IBC is situated in Southern Thailand in Khlong Ngae. The college has a land area of approx. 110 hectares. The College is in a beautiful and serene location with an ideal setting for an educational institution. Moreover it is only 36km from Bukit Kayu Hitam; it is only three hours by road from Penang.

IBC was officially opened on 17th July 2005. The first phase comprises the administrative block; the lecture block, two hostel blocks and an auditorium and library block, covering a total area of approx. 100,000 sq ft.

IBC was established under the private education acts of Thailand education ministry. It offers BA, MA and PhD courses both in English and Chinese .The degrees awarded are recognized by government of Thailand.

IBC embraces all the major Buddhist traditions of Theravada and Mahayana in its curriculum. Besides providing an opportunity for understanding of different Buddhist traditions it also act as an excellent center for spiritual cultivation. In the near future, plans are afoot for secular courses such as pre-school education and geriatric nursing.

IBC officially started its course in October 2004. Monastic and lay students come from Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Malaysia, Nepal, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Ireland, USA and Thailand. The diverse pool of lecturers comes from China, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Belgium and Thailand.

IBC does not belong to any individual, monastery or organization. It belongs to all Buddhists. It is our sincere hope that with the unstinting support received, it will steadfastly continue to spread the teachings of the Buddha within a spiritually, non-sectarian, and borderless environment.

Ven. Wei Wu, Ven. Zhen Guang, Ven Lee Rajana and Bro. Zhu Xiao Ning will be lecturing in this Dharmaduta Tour in Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Sabah and Sarawak.

The venues for the IBC lecture tours in Penang and Kuala Lumpur are as follows:

Date: 10/4/08: 8pm
Titles: “Buddhist outlook on life”; “Zen and Chinese culture”
Speakers: Ven. Zhen Guang; Zhu Xiao Ning
Venue: Komplek Masyarakat Penyayang, Jalan Utama, 10460, Penang.
Medium: Chinese

Date: 10/4/08: 8pm
Titles: “Buddhism for social action----- A Personal experience”; “Let’s follow the Buddha’s path.”
Speakers: Ven. Lee Rajana; Ven Dhammodaya
Venue: Than Hsiang Temple, 132, Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, 11900, Penang.
Medium: English

Date: 11/4/08: 8pm
Titles:” Let go!”; “Buddhist outlook on life”.
Speaker: Ven. Wei Wu; Ven. Zheng Kwan
Venue: Pear International Hotel, Batu 5, Jalan Kelang Lama 58000 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia.
Medium: Chinese
Date: 11/4/08: 8pm
Titles: “Buddhist for social action----A personal experience”; “Let’s follow the Buddha’s path.”
Speakers: Ven. Lee Rajana; Ven Dhammodaya.
Venue: Tham Wah Wan, 196, Bt.3 1/4, Jalan Kelang Lama 58000 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia.
Medium: English