The Third International Conference on the Buddhist Heritage of Pakistan recently concluded in Islamabad, exploring the enduring cultural and spiritual legacy of Gandhara. Pakistan’s minister for National Heritage and Culture used the platform to proclaim that the preservation of Gandharan heritage was not merely a national responsibility but a global obligation.
The Third International Conference on the Buddhist Heritage of Pakistan, held under the theme “Exploring the Buddhist Heritage of Pakistan Through Multidisciplinary Research,” was held in Islamabad from 19–23 May. The forum offered a unique opportunity for scholars, monastic leaders, cultural heritage experts, and policymakers from across the world to explore Pakistan’s ancient Buddhist heritage and the global legacy of Gandhara.
The symposium opened with a welcome address from the acting vice chancellor of Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad, Prof. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal, who emphasized the importance of preserving Pakistan’s civilizational heritage and highlighted the university’s commitment to promoting research and international collaboration on Gandharan studies and Buddhist heritage.
The renowned scholar of Gandhari Buddhist manuscripts Dr. Stefan Baums delivered the keynote address, sharing findings from his research and highlighting significance of the Gandhara civilization and its contributions to the intellectual, artistic, and spiritual traditions of Asia and the world.
The convocation was jointly organized by the Humanistic Buddhism Research Centre (HBRC) at Quaid-i-Azam University (Pakistan) and Universiti Malaya (Malaysia), the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, and the Silk Road Centre, in collaboration with the Fo Guang Shan Education Centre, Pakistan Tourism Development Corp., and the International Institute for Central Asian Studies. Conference partners included Buddha’s Light International Association, Hazara University, University of Peshawar, and Colors of Pakistan.
“This conference series, initiated in collaboration with the Silk Road Centre in March 2022, continues to advance the recognition of one of Pakistan’s most illustrious historical legacies: cultural and religious heritage of Gandhara,” noted HBRC director Prof. Dr. Ghani ur Rahman. “This year we received an overwhelming response from both local and international scholars. We are grateful to Fo Guang Shan Malaysia and our collaborators for their support.”
More than 36 distinguished speakers and scholars from Pakistan and abroad participated in the forum. The organizers emphasized that the event sought to advance multidisciplinary research, strengthen international academic cooperation, and promote awareness of Pakistan’s Buddhist heritage and Gandhara’s global civilizational contributions.
“The growing interest in research and scholarship on Gandhara and Pakistan’s Buddhist heritage is highly encouraging,” Silk Road Centre executive director Dr. Ijlal Hussain remarked. “When we first envisioned this conference with the Taxila Institute of Archaeology and Civilizations, we were optimistic about scholarly engagement, and that optimism has gradually been affirmed. Two remarkable examples are Ven. Jue Cheng’s personal interest in Gandhara, and Prof. Richard Salomon’s address at this conference reflecting on his 30 years of research on the Buddhist manuscripts of Gandhara.”
Pakistan’s minister for National Heritage and Culture, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, was chief guest for the occasion. Addressing the gathering, he lauded the organizers for convening an international platform dedicated to intercultural dialogue, heritage preservation, and scholarly exchange.
“This conference is not only an academic forum; it is a platform for intercultural dialogue, scholarly cooperation, and international understanding. It reflects the government of Pakistan’s and conference organizers’ shared commitment to protecting the historical and spiritual legacy of Gandhara and promoting the universal values of peace, harmony, tolerance, and compassion” Khichi said. “At a time when the world faces division and conflict, the message of Gandhara reminds us of the importance of compassion, coexistence, dialogue, and peace.”
Buddhism has played a significant role in shaping the history and culture of what is now Pakistan and Afghanistan, flourishing in the kingdoms that lay on the Silk Road trade routes with Central Asia. The conquests of the Mauryan emperor Ashoka (r. c. 268–c. 232 BCE) and the subsequent Greco-Buddhist culture—which blossomed under the Gandhara kingdom that emerged in what is today northwestern Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan from around 800 BCE to 500 CE—saw Buddhism establish deep roots that lasted for more than 12 centuries.
A wealth of ancient Buddhist stupas, monasteries, images of the Buddha, and other artifacts attest to this ancient and deeply rooted heritage. Ashoka’s territorial expansions, coupled with Greek influences in the mid-to-late fourth century BCE led to a unique cultural melting pot that saw the first known Buddhist statuary emerge in Gandhara—considered by many to represent the pinnacle of Buddhist art.
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Good blog.