Buddhist Industry Fair to Open Thursday

Hosted by Buddhist radio broadcaster BBS, the fair will be joined by 120 related companies and bodies to see 250 booths installed at the venue. The first industry fair for the religion is free of charge for visitors.

Its first exhibition hall will show products on temple construction, including traditional tiles, temple bells and others. The second hall will exhibit Buddhist artifacts like calligraphy and Korean paper artwork. In the third hall, visitors will be able to see promotion booths of Buddhist organizations and other cultural exhibitions.

The organizers will also showcase a Buddhist-style traditional wedding ceremony and hold open religious services and concerts for visitors. Some one thousand visitors will get a free souvenir on first-come-first-serve basis. For more information, call (02) 736-8191.

"The general public is welcome to the industry fair as we have prepared numerous exhibitions and events,?? said Cho Eun-sang, an official of the organizing committee. The committee plans to hold the fair annually from this year.

English Lecture on Buddhism

English lecture on Buddhism will be held at the Lay Buddhist Association building in central Seoul for two months from April 1.

The lecture will take place for two hours from 10 a.m. on every Saturday and participants can learn basic English language skills with the theme of Buddhism.

International Dharma Instructors Association, global missionary body of Chogye Order of Korean Buddhism, is hosting the lecture. The program fee is 20,000 won. For more information, call (02) 722-2206.

"We expect the participants to take an interest in Buddhism through English and some of them to be prepared to become international instructors,?? an official at the association said. The association, founded in 1998, has licensed 228 Buddhist monks or laypeople for missionary work. Around 30 missionaries are currently working overseas.