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Please join Thay, 14 days in May 2008 for a special Retreat-Conference in Vietnam  

 

The Brothers and Sisters of Plum Village would like to invite you to join Thay in Hanoi, Vietnam, for a special Retreat and Conference on Engaged Buddhism to take place May 4th to 17th, 2008, to replace our biennial June Retreat in 2008.

 

The time in Vietnam will begin with Thay leading a six-day retreat in English on Engaged Buddhism for the 21^st century. This retreat will take place in a spacious hotel in Hanoi.

 

After the retreat (and a day of rest), Thay and his students will participate in an International Vesak (Buddha’s Birthday) Conference organized by UNESCO, from May 13-17. The theme of the conference is Buddhist Contribution to Building a Just, Democratic and Civil Society and Thay has been asked to give one of the three keynote addresses. Additionally, the Vietnamese organizers have asked Thay to invite his students to participate in the conference as presenters and attend as guests.

The conference will focus on the following seven themes:

1.     War, Conflict and Healing: A Buddhist Perspective

2.     Buddhist Contribution to Social Justice

3.     Engaged Buddhism and Development

4.     Care for Our Environment: Buddhist Response to Climate Change

5.     Family Problems and the Buddhist Response

6.     Symposium on Buddhist Education: Continuity and Progress

7.     Symposium on Buddhism in the Digital Age

Students of Thay who may like to offer a presentation (7-10 minutes maximum) on one or more of these themes are invited to submit proposals, by December 31 if possible.  Proposals should include:

	title and abstract of no more than one single-spaced page
	a one-page CV or a 250-word biography
	(optional) a paper, of no more than 7000 words

The cost of the retreat and conference is $675 or 520 euros, which includes the cost of the hotel, intercity transportation and most meals. Official arrival date is May 4^th and departure date is May 17^th.

Following the conference on May 17^th, for a modest additional cost, Sister Chan Khong will lead an optional one-day trip to visit the Vietnam’s Avalokiteshvara caves set in a marvelous landscape a half-day from Hanoi, returning to Hanoi late the same night. After rest day on May 18^th, Sister Chan Khong will lead another optional trip by air to Hue on May 19^th, where you wil have the chance to visit Tu Hieu Temple, the root temple where Thay practiced as a novice. On May 20^th and 21^st, we will travel by bus to visit preschool programs sponsored by the fourfold Plum Village Sangha in the Thua Thien and Quang Tri regions.

If you would like to participate in these special events, or would like more information, please contact our registrar Sr. Tue Nghiem at tnhvntrip@earthlink.net. Presentation proposals should be submitted by email to Sr. Pine at vesak2008@yahoo.com; please include “Vesak 2008” in the subject line.

We will be in touch with you again.

Thank you and we wait to hear from you.

Sr. Chan Khong

for the Brothers and Sisters of Plum Village

 

Tentative Itinerary for the lay delegation joining Thay  and the Plum Village monastics for the Vietnam trip 2008
(subject to change)

Date	Activity
Sunday, May 4, 2008	Official arrival day – Hanoi, Vietnam
Monday to Sunday, May 5-May 11, 2008	English-speaking retreat for Western lay practitioners - Hanoi
Monday, May 12, 2008	Lazy day - resting day (breakfast at hotel, lunch & dinner on your own)
Tuesday, May 13, 2008	VESAK – Arrival, registration, and welcoming delegation from different countries (breakfast at hotel, lunch & dinner on your own after registration at National Convention Center)
Wednesday, May 14, 2008	VESAK at NCC – Morning: Opening Ceremony 11:30 Lunch 1:50 pm   Most Venerable Bhikku Bodhi’s keynote address 3:30 pm   Chanting by Plum Village International Sangha 3:40 pm   Most Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh’s keynote address 6:00 pm   Dinner
Thursday, May 15, 2008	VESAK – Workshops - in English (morning and afternoon) 11:30 Lunch Dinner at hotel
Friday, May 16, 2008	VESAK – Workshops continuation 11:30  Lunch 2:00 pm  ?? 3:30 pm  Issuance of Hanoi Declaration                Closing ceremony Dinner at hotel
Saturday, May 17, 2008	Official departure day VESAK – Optional package tours (by VESAK organizers) Optional Tour: Avalokiteshvara Caves with Sr. Chan Khong (not included in price package)
Sunday, May 18, 2008	Rest day – on your own
Monday, May 19, 2008	Optional tour - depart for Hue to visit Tu Hieu Root Temple and charity programs in the Thua Thien and Quang Tri Provinces with Sr. Chan Khong (not included in price package) – return to Hanoi on May 22nd