The Sakyadhita International Buddhist Women's Association is calling for presentations ahead of the 19th International Conference

The Sakyadhita International Association of Buddhist Women, a leading global organization committed to transforming the lives of women in Buddhist societies, has extended the deadline for submission of panel presentation proposals for the 19th Sakyadhita International Conference on Buddhist Women. The biennial forum will be held in Kuching, in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, from 15 to 23 June 2025, under the theme “Navigating Change: Buddhist Women in Transition.”

“Proposals are being accepted for panel presentations on topics of interest to women in Buddhism,” Sakyadhita International said in a statement shared with BDG. “Proposals for presentations (250-500 words) must be received by December 10, 2024.”

Proposals for panel presentations should be submitted to [email protected] before December 10th.

Sakyadhita International traces its beginnings to 1987 with a conference for Buddhist nuns held in Bodh Gaya, India, which aimed to build support for the full ordination of women monastics in the Theravada tradition. Over the past 35 years, Sakyadhita has grown into an organization comprised of, representing and empowering both monastic and lay women, with branches and chapters around the world.

The Sakyadhita International Women's Buddhist Association is now the leading global organization committed to transforming the lives of women in Buddhist societies, aspiring to empower and unite Buddhist women, promote their well-being, and facilitate their work for the benefit of the Dharma and all sentient beings. "Sakyadhita" means Daughter of Shakya (the clan name of the historical Buddha). Working at the grassroots level, Sakyadhita provides an international network of Buddhist women, promoting research and publications, and striving to create equal opportunities for women in all Buddhist traditions.

The organization noted that responses to the Sakyadhita program committee's presentation proposals would be sent by December 20.

“Completed articles (2 words) should be submitted by January 500 for editing and translation into different languages,” Sakyadhita International added. “Proposals should include the following information: name, institutional affiliation, postal address, email address and telephone number.”

Suggested topics for panel presentations include: “The Changing Roles of Buddhist Women: Empowerment, Feminism, and Leadership”; “Buddhism and Education: Innovation and Social Harmony;” “Youth Culture: Nurturing Youth and Adapting the Dharma;” “Buddhism Across the Life Course: Mental Health and Managing Change;” “Buddhist Ethics and Economics: Capitalism and Compassion;” “Dharma Teachers Across Generations: Authority and Transmission;” and “The Nature of Reality: Choosing/Constructing Reality.”

“Sakyadhita encourages diversity and creativity,” the organization emphasizes. “We welcome proposals from presenters of any gender, nationality, or background. All proposals and papers must be original, unpublished work by the presenters. All presenters must register for the conference and are responsible for their own conference-related expenses. Any requests for special dates for presentations must be included with the proposal.”

Referring to the choice of the 2025 conference host, Sakyadhita International observed: “Sarawak is home to many diverse cultures and religious traditions and amazing biodiversity. Diverse landscapes and cuisines make a visit to Sarawak an artistic and culinary adventure.

The 18th Sakyadhita International Conference was held in Seoul from June 23 to 27, 2023, jointly hosted by the Korean Bhikshuni Association and Sakyadhita Korea, and brought together some 3 Buddhist monks, laypeople, guests, and dignitaries from South Korea and around the world.* The 000 theme, “Living in a Precarious World: Impermanence, Resilience, Awakening,” referred to the impermanence of the world around us, as evidenced by the climate crisis, environmental destruction, political extremism, social instability, and the increasing incidence and threat of violent conflict. Directly addressing this theme, the conference program includes a wide range of programs, including paper presentations, workshops, exhibitions, meditation sessions, and cultural performances.

* Living in a Precarious World: 18th Sakyadhita Conference Begins in Seoul (BDG) and Daughters of the Buddha: 18th Sakyadhita Conference in Seoul Celebrates the Sacred Feminine (BDG)

See more

Sakyadhita International Buddhist Women's Association
Sakyadhita International Buddhist Women's Association (Facebook)
Sakyadhita Malaysia 2025 (Facebook)

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The article International Sakyadhita Buddhist Women's Association Calls for Presentation Proposals Ahead of 19th International Conference appeared first on Buddhadoor Global.