Kathmandu, May 19

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli today reiterated that the government was open to dialogue with all disgruntled parties and communities regarding their legitimate political concerns.

“I urge all to realise the need of cooperation and collaboration for the sake of unity, development and stability.

I invite all stakeholders to take the ‘nation first’ motto for the betterment of the country,” Oli said, addressing the inaugural session of International Buddhist Conference organised on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti, the 2,560th birth anniversary of Lord Buddha,.

Nepal is striving to effectively implement the constitution, he said. “Our challenge is to restore hope, inculcate self-confidence, rebuild better and revive our economy. Our efforts are closely linked to the long cherished aspirations of the people,” he said.

The conference is being held with the theme ‘Lumbini, Nepal: the Birthplace of Lord Buddha and Fountain of Buddhism and World peace’.

The PM remembered Nepal’s suffering last year due to the earthquake, the Tarai agitation and the five-month long undeclared blockade of goods at the Nepal-India border points that brought about a humanitarian crisis in the country.

“Despite such ups and downs, our focus now is on the implementation of the Constitution. Altogether 193 laws were incompatible with the new constitution. These have been amended and we plan to have additional 138 new laws enacted within a year.

We have decided to hold elections for the existing local bodies by November/December 2016,” he said.

Oli said, “This part of the world gave birth to major civilisations and our ancestors were great thinkers, leaders, innovators, explorers, scholars and researchers. We must be proud of our civilization and our ancestors.”

Oli said L Buddha was an embodiment of quest for truth and peace. “He is not just the light of Asia. He is the light of the whole world.

His teachings provide, in the form of Buddhism, a strong foundation on which our historical and cultural identities have been shaped. We are proud to share this glorious tradition,” he said.

Stating that Buddha’s teachings always stressed the importance of harmony, tolerance and selflessness, Oli emphasised the need to work for the happiness of the multitude rather than for oneself.

Buddhism, as a philosophy, has a universal appeal and this should be understood in terms of core human values and a common destiny, Oli said. “It is about peace, non-violence, compassion, harmony and forgiveness.

These are higher noble causes that bind human beings together. They transcend particular location and context. They become all the more important today when the world is desperately striving for peace and harmony against the backdrop of conflict, hatred, intolerance and extremism,” he said.

The PM said the government was aiming to promote and develop Lumbini as the centre of International Buddhist Studies.

Buddhist religious scholars, leaders, monks and nuns from 28 countries are participating in the conference hosted by the government and it will conclude tomorrow.

Lumbini Day will also be celebrated in Lumbini on Saturday.