The Buddha’s Light International Association invites the HDI to Taipei to celebrate Buddha’s Birthday

May 13, 2010

Mr. Ralph Cwerman, President of the Humpty Dumpty Institute (HDI), was invited by the Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) to attend and give a speech at the annual Buddha’s Birthday Celebration Ceremony in Taiwan on May 10, 2010. 

Mr. Cwerman started the trip on Wednesday, May 5 with meetings at the American Institute of Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan (MOFA), and the Taiwan Red Cross to discuss HDI’s programs in Asia.  Mr. Cwerman, who was accompanied by HDI’s Program Manager for US – UN Relations, Ms. Capera Clement, traveled to the city of Taichung on the second day of the trip.  In the morning, Mr. Cwerman met with executives at VEDAN Enterprise, an agricultural processing company.  After lunch at the Taichung Huai Chung Temple, the delegation proceeded to Nanhua University.  Mr. Cwerman met with the President of the University and other members of the faculty and staff before giving a presentation on HDI's history and programs to over 100 students specializing in NGO activities.  Participants were engaged and interested to learn about the programming of an independent NGO that works closely with the United Nations.

The next morning, after having spent the night at the BLIA World Headquarters Temple in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Mr. Cwerman met with Grand Master Hsing Yun, BLIA’s spiritual head and founding President.  Mr. Cwerman and the Grand Master discussed HDI and BLIA’s work at the UN and the goals of the two organizations.

A tour of the temple grounds followed the meeting, as well as a tour of the construction site of the Buddha Memorial Center – which will be finished in 2011.

On Saturday, May 9, Mr. Cwerman attended the opening ceremony of Grand Master Hsing Yun’s calligraphy exhibition at the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial in downtown Taipei.

The trip concluded with the Buddha’s Birthday Celebration ceremony in front of the Presidential Palace in Taipei, Taiwan on Sunday, May 10, 2010.  Over 100,000 people came from all over Taiwan to celebrate. Mr. Cwerman gave remarks to the crowd, as did President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan and Grand Master Hsing Yun.

 

To see more pictures about The HDI’s visit to Taiwan, please visit: http://bit.ly/hditaiwan