Tawang conference traces how Buddhism spread across the Himalayas

Monks, scholars and delegates from seven countries gathered in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, on 2 November for an international conference on how Buddhism spread across the Himalayan region and beyond.

The International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), the Ministry of Culture and the Arunachal Pradesh government organised the day-long conference at the Kalawangpo Convention Centre, alongside the Sacred Relics Exposition in Tawang. Delegates came from India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia and Germany. The day also marked the IBC's 14th founding day.

The chief minister's remarks

Chief Minister Pema Khandu, the chief guest, recalled that Buddhism spread from India through the efforts of King Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE, and from the Himalayan region, especially Arunachal Pradesh, to Tibet and elsewhere from the 6th and 7th centuries CE. He noted that Tawang is the birthplace of the 6th Dalai Lama and said development and modernity should go together with preserving cultural values.

The sessions

There were three thematic sessions. The first, on carrying forward the Buddha's legacy after his Mahaparinirvana, had speakers from Sri Lanka, Myanmar and India. The second, on historical and doctrinal continuity, drew speakers from Nepal, Germany and India and gave special attention to Arunachal Pradesh. The IBC's Secretary General expressed hope of working with the newly formed Arunachal Buddhist Confederation.

Photos

---

Source: official release by the Ministry of Culture, issued through the Press Information Bureau, Government of India (02 NOV 2026 10:06PM by PIB Delhi). Read the full official text: International Buddhist Confederation, in Collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the Government of Arunachal Pradesh, Organises International Conference on “Buddhism: Dissemination in the Himalayan Region and Beyond” today at Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh.