BLIA NZ Round Table Conference Localisation through Culture & Education

On the 7th October, BLIA Oceania was tasked with organising a Round Table Conference. BLIA North Island hosted the conference with the theme of Localisation via Culture and Education. A practical example of the 3G4G Festival of Cultural Sharing, which has been organised in Auckland and Christchurch over the past 8 years, was presented in the conference. BLIA South Island held on to the theme of Localisation of FGS NZ, while incorporating Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s four forms of localisation: 1. Language 2. Social custom 3. Habit and 4. Education, to emphasize the importance of serving the community.

FGS NZ has been upholding Venerable Master’s idea of serving the community wholeheartedly. Venerable Master’s vision of sharing good values through arts and cultures to construct a harmonious society has been sustained. Various barriers such as race, ethnicity, language, nationality and age haven been overcome. This fosters mutual understanding and happiness, while demonstrating the enriching outcomes of purifying the heart. Abbess Manshin complimented BLIA members worldwide in her speech for their bravery and great teamwork. She acknowledged the impact this has in contributing to the harmony of society and how sticking to one’s vows and shouldering responsibilities can add colour to multiculturalism. Localisation is not confined to local geographical location, but rather spans across the entire world, projecting forward into the future. Venerable Master once said, “Localisation comes in many forms, such as language, social custom, habit and education,” which refines our understanding of localisation. We will have to be futuristic in order to expand one’s growth, which will further portray a deeper context in a multicultural society.