Pakistan celebrates Gandhara Week

COLOMBO: Foreign delegates attending the Gandhara Week celebrations visited the ancient city of Taxila where they were captivated by the rich archaeological and cultural heritage.

However, the heads of delegates from different countries including Korea, Japan, Thailand, Sri Lanka and China were unanimous in their observation that both public and private organisations needed to make concerted efforts to exploit the country’s true potential and attract more and more tourists, states a press release issued by the High Commission of Pakistan.

The event is part of the Destination Pakistan 2007 programme being observed with the theme: “Historical review of the world’s ancient Buddhist civilisation.”

Another significance of the celebrations is that Buddhists across the globe are observing the 2,550th birth anniversary of the great Buddha.

Gandhara is the second holiest land for followers of Buddhism and is the place from where the religion flourished across the globe.

The chief priest of Enmanji Temple Japan, Ryoko Nishioka, appreciated the Ministry of Tourism for organising the event and the hospitality extended to the foreign delegates.

He said the Japanese government was ready to extend financial assistance to the Pakistani government for restoration and preservation of Buddhist sites.