The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

SAARC Conference on Buddhist Cultural Trails

25-27 August 2017 in Colombo, Sri Lanka

SAARC International Conference on “Buddhist Cultural Trails: Journey Through Time & Space, of Merchants, Monks & Pilgrims, Reconciliation of the South Asian Region with the Exchange of Information” will be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka 25-27 August 2017.

The Buddhist Cultural Trail conference will be the first in a series of Conferences and workshops planned on “Cultural Trails” in South Asia to understand the ancient links and to establish modern links through tourism, to identify and add value to archaeological sites, art, music and other cultural activities along the trails, to develop a South Asian Heritage Sites List, etc.This conference will be a platform for brainstorming on the key issues on Buddhist Cultural Trails such as identification, heritage management, conservation, preservation, promotion of sites, etc.This platform will create a basis for partnerships with the Government institutions within the host country and Member States to collaborate with each other. 

Themes of the Conference

  • Buddhist Cultural Trails (BCT) - The paths of the Buddha, Sites of Relics of Buddha, The way of Arahant Mahinda, The path of Theri Sanghamitta, The Fa Xian (Fa Hsien) Route, The Xuanzang (Hsuan Tsang) Route, The Cave Caravan Routes of the Western Ghats, The pilgrimage route of King Nissankamalla to Sri Pada (Sacred Footprint), Sixteen sacred places of Sri Lanka, Footsteps of Guru Rimpoche, Buddhist Cultural Trails in Maldives, Buddhist Cultural Trails in Bangladesh, Centres of learning, New Buddhist Cultural Trails for Tourism promotion and pilgrims, Buddhist Manuscript Trails, etc.  (For Details refer to Annexure 1)
  • Art and Architecture of BCT. 
  • Archaeology of BCT. 
  • Intangible Heritage of BCT (Music, dance, folk art, folk stories, traditional healing, handicrafts, etc.) 
  • Trade and Commerce of BCT. 
  • Buddhist Manuscripts, texts and inscriptions, languages and scripts (Gandhari, Prakrit, Sanskrit, etc., languages and Brahmi, Kharosthi, Greek Bactrian, etc. scripts) of BCT. 
  • Technology of BCT (Irrigation, engineering, agriculture, etc.)
  • Cross cultural fertilizations
  • Heritage Management of BCT sites
  • Tourism promotion of BCT

Deadline for accepting nominees and participants is 1st June 2017. 

For further details contact Deputy Director Bindu Urugodawatte: dd-research [at] saarccultural [dot] org (dd-research[at]saarccultural[dot]org) or visit their website