Buddhist Council of Western Australia Inc.

Good evening all Venerable, BCWA committee members and representatives,

Thank you for taking the time to attend the Buddhist Council of WA’s Annual General Meeting.

Since the establishment of BCWA in 2005, next year will be a great milestone for its 20th Anniversary. I am excited and proud to see the progress of the Council, especially with your recognition and continuous support.  BCWA was formed to act as the Peak Body to represent the Buddhist community in WA at the state level with the government and at the national level. BCWA is a member of the Federation of Australian Buddhist Councils, with which we are closely engaged.

In the past 12 months, BCWA has welcomed two new Buddhist organisations as members:

1. The Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu-Chi Foundation and
2. Mahasanhdi Centre

We look forward to working closely with you to build a strong Buddhist community.

The Vesak Day celebration at the Parliament House in May this year was a great success with more participation from the sangha members and parliamentarians. It was a well-received event. The Light Offering to the Buddha was the highlight, with the enchanting Vietnamese performance of the instrument Dan Bau by Nier Nguen and dancer Bella adding colour, serenity, and cultural characteristics to the event. BCWA will keep this significant celebration as the key event in its yearly calendar due to its historical importance not only for the present time but long into the future for Buddhism in W.A.

Sandra Henville, a member of the Council’s committee, has been the key contact for prison and hospital chaplaincy services. Thank you, Sandra, for your contribution, even though you have a very busy workload. Your dedication is very much appreciated.

At the end of September, I had the privilege to present a Buddhist talk at the Dhammaloka Centre, I was one of the guest speakers during this year’s Rain Retreats. I felt so touched by the opportunity to meet the audience and share a wonderful article on Learning How to Live, written by the late Grand Master Hsing Yun of Fo Guang Shan Monastery.

Last week, on the 26^th of October, BCWA organised a fundraising dinner, initiated by Boon Tan, our Treasurer. The event attracted more than 100 guests from the Buddhist community; it was a fun night. Thank you.

Sadly, Sisilina, my honorary secretary for the past two years, will step down due to her studies and heavy workload. Sisilina is a good example of a selfless, hard-working, and respectful Buddhist; she will be greatly missed.

Thank you, my dharma friends, from the committee, you have been great at supporting each other. Thank you for the wonderful year.

Speakers at the Buddhist Society of Western Australia, 18 Nanson Way, Nollamara, Western Australia, during the Rains Retreat in 2024