September 7, 2003:-

A Vegetarian Food Fair was held on 7th September 2003 (Sunday), from 10.00am to 3.00pm, at Dewan Sekolah Chio Min. The food fair is initiated by Than Hsiang Temple and jointly organized by the Buddhist Associations in Southern Kedah & Central Province Wellesley to raise funds for the International Buddhist University project.

Plans for the first phase building project of International Buddhist University started since the first recruitment of students on July 2000. The permanent site, situated in Khlong Ngae district, between Bukit Kayu Hitam and Haadyai, covers an area of 100,000 square feet. A ground breaking ceremony marking the commencement of the first phase building project was held at the end of the year 2001. This project involves the building of a prayer hall, a block of library and an administrative office, a block of lecture room and three blocks of hostels. The whole phase is scheduled to be completed by end of next year however we hope to complete part of the project by this June. The budgeted expenses for this project involve ten million ringgit. (RM10,000,000.00.)

The objective of having this Vegetarian Food Fair other than to raise fund for the International Buddhist University building project is to publicize the university so more people will come to know of its existence.

We received full support from various companies and Buddhist organizations. Among the items on sale that day were fried rice, Buddhist Articles, body shampoo. sour plum, mooncake, biscuits, cakes, nyonya kuih, fried banana, bubur cacha, red bean soup, white fungus soup, fruit jelly, vegetarian dumpling, hand made items, vegetarian laksa, vegetarian Tom Yam BeeHoon, Hai Lam rice, poh pieh, nasi kunyit, tapioca kuih, rojak, etc.

The Kulim Food Fair was made possible with contributions from various Buddhist Associations in Southern Kedah & Central P.W; Kulim Buddhist Association, Fo En Shi Temple, Persatuan Buddhist Seberang Prai Tengah, Pertubuhan Bakti Fo En Bandar Kulim, Junjong Buddhist Association, Bukit Mertajam Buddhist Association, Kubang Semang Buddhist Association, Serdang Buddhist Association and Lunas Buddhist Association.

About RM100,000 was collected from the food fair. Those who gave a donation of RM200.00 and above were invited for a ribbon cutting ceremony.