A Vegetarian Food Fair will be held on 3rd August 2003 (Sunday), from 10.00am to 3.00pm, in the premises of Than Hsiang Temple. The food fair is organized by the temple 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.

To make this food fair a success, donations in kind or food from you and your organization / company is greatly appreciated. You can also choose to sponsor our building project in varies ways. For details please refer to the sponsor slips or call 04-6414822 ext. 2020 (Ms Lim / Ms Tan).

Below is an excerpt courtesy from 'The Star' newspaper dated 7th June (Saturday), Metro Section, :

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Buddhist Varsity
to Open Soon

BY SYLVIA LOOI
PHOTOS BY K.T.GOH and supplied by temple
For metro north

Than Hsiang Temple's International Buddhist University (IBU), located at Klong Ngae, Thailand, will open its doors to students next month. Temple education bureau supervisor Hong Yew Chye said however approval to conduct the courses at the university had yet to be obtained from Thailand's University Affair Ministry.

"We have submitted our application to the ministry six months ago and we hope to hear from them soon," he said in an interview yesterday (June 5), adding that a Thai consultant had been engaged to help out on the matter.

Among the courses leading to the Bachelor of Art to be offered at the university are Buddhist Studies and Liberal Art.

In addition to offering Bachelor of Arts, the university would also offer courses in counselling, pre-school education and geriatric care to promote social and charitable services.

Initially planned to be set up on Malaysian soil, the university was the culmination of eight years of planning and fund raising by the Than Hsiang Temple.

On the university campus, located on a 44-ha site between Bukit Kayu Hitam and Haadyai, Hong said work on the lecture, administrative, canteen, library, multi-purpose hall, hostel and lecturers accommodation block are ongoing.

"Work on the administrative and lecture blocks had been 60% completed," he said.

On another matter, Than Hsiang Fund's person-in-charge Lim Cheng See said a series of activities would be organised to raise RM10 mil for IBU.

"On Aug 3, a vegetarian food fair will be organised at the temple premises in Bayan Lepas, Penang from 10am to 3pm," she said.

She added that a Chinese orchestra would also be organised at the Penang Chinese Town Hall on Sept 12 at 8pm to raise funds for IBU.
Other activity planned is a seven-day Amitabha Recitation Retreat and Novitiate Programme from Nov 22 to 30, she said.

For details, contact the temple (04-6414822)/ e-mail: infocentre@thanhsiang.org