Lumbini-Kapilvastu Day Movement (A Global Movement institutionalized to spread Buddha’s peace and nonviolence
messages and promote Buddha's birthplace Lumbini, Nepal all over the world)
Movement Profile with major achievements
Lumbini-Kapilvastu day Movement
Email: [email protected] / [email protected]
Facebook account: Lumbini Kapilvastu Day
Facebook Page: Buddha born in Nepal
Twitter: Kapilvastuday
Site: www.worldamity.wordpress.com
Telephone: (+61) 0415040009
Lumbini-Kapilvastu Day Movement is a Global Movement institutionalized in 2010 to
spread Buddha’s peace and non-violence messages and promote Buddha's birthplace
Lumbini, Nepal all over the world by observing Lumbini-Kapilvastu Day as a global
holiday every year.
Originally, on December 1, 1896, Dr Anton Führer, a German archaeologist, had
discovered the Buddha’s birthplace when he found the Asoka Pillar at Lumbini. Even
though this site was first discovered by Khadga Shamsher Rana before Führer had
reached the site but Führer is credited for this discovery as he brought it into light and
made it known to the international community.
The Asoka Pillar is the most important evidence that Buddha was born in Lumbini.
Therefore, it was decided to observe December 1 as Kapilavastu Day. The historic
Kapilavastu, located close to Lumbini, is considered to be another holy pilgrimage for
the Buddhists since it was the place where the Buddha grew up and which he later
renounced seeking to understand the cause of human sufferings. The result of years of
excavations and researches by numerous national and international teams has been
that Tilaurakot is the historic Kapilvastu which UNESCO should certify as another World
Heritage, next to Lumbini.
After celebrating the Kapilvastu Day as the Global Day for the first time in history on
December 1, 2009, we discussed on how to keep the program going ahead. Hence a
21-member Committee has been formed as the Lumbini-Kapilvastu Day Movement
Global Committee under Ram Kumar Shrestha’s leadership. The committee is
constituted as follows:
Ram Kumar Shrestha Global Coordinator, UK (now in Australia)
Abi Sharma Coordinator, Canada
Baburaja Maharjan Coordinator, Newzealand
Bhanu Poudyal Special Coordinator, Canada
Binay Shah Coordinator, Hongkong
Chandra Rai Coordinator, Canada
Dr. Hari Kumar Shrestha Coordinator, Taiwan (now in Nepal)
Hari Nepali Coordinator, Qatar
Laxman Devkota Coordinator, Portugal
Nima Sherpa, Coordinator, Australia
Mrs Laxmi Simkhada Coordinator, USA
Om Gurung Coordinator, Japan
Dr. Krishna Aryal, Coordinator, Norway
Ramhari Shrestha Coordinator, UK
Santosh Neupane Coordinator, Belgium
Mrs Sanu Ghimire Coordinator, Australia
Shailesh Shrestha Coordinator, USA
Shambhu Kattel Coordinator, USA
Sujan Neupane Coordinator, Australia
To make the movement more effective and to simplify the decision making process of
the committee a nine member secretariat has been formed and the secretariat members
shall be the regional coordinators of corresponding regions as follows:
1. Baburaja Maharjan (Australia, Newzealand and surrounding countries),
2. Hari Nepal (Middle East),
3. Om Gurung (Japan, Hongkong, China and surrounding countries),
4. Dr. Krishna Aryal (USA and South America),
5. Chandra Rai (Canada)
6. Dr. Madhu Krishna Shrestha (Europe).
7. Dr. Hari Kumar Shrestha (SAARC)
The Global Coordinator shall be the Chief in the secretariat which shall be located in
London.
To smoothly spread the Movement’s Peace Mission at national and International levels
a nine member Advisory Board shall be formed with the following members:
1. Mr. Agni Frank Eickermann (writer, Founder of Spiritual Teachers Training, Alpha Chi
Consultants, and “Path into Light”, Speaker: Spirituality, Traditional Chinese Medicine,
Feng Shui, Management solutions, Golden Age, USA),
2. Ani Choying Drolmo (Singing nun/ UNICEF Nepal’s National Ambassador)
3. Dr. Arzu Rana-Deuba (CA member and MP),
4. HE Deepak Khadaka (Consulate General, NSW, Australia),
5. Ms Domo Geshe Rinpoche (Spiritual Director, White Conch Dharma Center, USA),
6. Dr. Kavitaram Shrestha (writer and founder of Aswikrit Movement),
7. Mr. Rajendra Shrestha (former minister), and
8. HE Dr. Rishi Adhikari (former Nepali Ambassador to Malaysia)
9. HE Tanka Karki (former Nepal Ambassador to China)
Significant activities and achievements of the Movement:
1. Buddha gift to that time Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard: On behalf of the
Nepalese community living in Australia Lumbini-Kapilvastu Day Movement Global
Coordinator Ram Kumar Shrestha and Australia’s Sub-Continent Ministerial Consultative
Committee Member Mahendra Lamsal jointly presented the gift of Buddha statue and
peace wish letter to the Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard on 19th of July, 2013.
2. Letter to US President Barack Obama: Movement wrote letter to US President Obama
2 times: first time when an American shoes company produced shoes with Buddha
photos, and the second time the Movement sent a Research type 6 page report
suggesting to correct the course books in US to reinforce democracy in US.
3. Letter to that time Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal: A team of former ministers
Dip Kumar Upadhyay and Rajendra Shrestha, Dr. Arzu Deuba Rana, Dr. Kavitaram
Shrestha and others submitted Movement letter to that time Prime Minister Madhav
Kumar Nepal suggesting Nepal government through diplomatic missions to correct
course books with wrong information on Buddha’s birthplace in different countries.
4. Correcting course book in Sweden: After Lumbini-Kapilvastu Day Movement initiation,
Sweden corrected its course books on Buddha’s birthplace misconception. Before this
Korean government already decided to change its course books.
5. Felicitating Special persons: Lumbini-Kapilvastu Day Movement felicitated many
distinguished persons who played important role to promote Buddha’s birthplace
Lumbini, Nepal in different ways:
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon agreed to chair the Greater Lumbini Development
International Committee because of the Greater Lumbini Development National Steering
Committee (GLDNSC) Coordinator and former Prime Minister Puspa Kamal Dahal
Prachanda’s initiation.
Former Minister Deep Kumar Upadhyay was felicitated by the Movement for his
special contribution in the parliament for World Peace City proposal.
Former Ambassador Kamal Prasad Koiralato Korea recognition by the Movement for his
special contribution to correct Buddha birthplace misconception in Korean books and this is the
milestone of the Movement.
Bhikkshu Magar was appointed as Peace Ambassador of the Movement
Editor of Europeko Nepalipatra weekly and correspondent of Kantipur Publications in UK, Nabin
Pokhrel, has been felicitated for his reports regarding birth place of Lord Buddha.
DID Little Masters session 3 winner Teriya Magar was appointed as Movement’s
Lumbini Girl Peace Ambassador
There are some more persons recognized by the Movement including some foreigners.
6. Buddha gift to Norwegian Nobel Institute Director: As part of promoting Buddha’s
birthplace Lumbini, Nepal Buddha statue was presented to the Norwegian Noble
Institute Director Prof. Geir Lundestad.
7. Lumbini Gate Movement: Students from Lumbini and Kathmandu are contributing Rs.1
from their lunch to build permanent gate in Lumbini to give information to the tourists that
they are in Buddha’s birthplace Lumbini, Nepal. Students from Australia and UK also
expressed their solidarity in this Movement.
8. British Museum agreed to correct Buddha birthplace information: British Museum
agreed to correct Buddha’s birthplace information due to our pressure.
9. International Conference: As part of 3rd Lumbini-Kapilvastu Day celebration on the 1st
of December, 2011 LKDM organised an International Conference in Kathmandu and
produced 43 pages report with lots of suggestions to be done to promote and develop
Lumbini. That report was disseminated to Nepal government and major political parties.
10. Solidarity for world peace and interaction program conducted: On the occasion of
the celebration of 5th anniversary of the Global Movement of Lumbini-Kapilvastu Day
Movement, the National Committee of the movement of Norway organized a street show
program about Buddha and Lumbini, Nepal as his Birthplace in front of the Nobel Peace
Prize distribution building, Oslo city Hall on the day when the Nobel Peace Prize
Distribution Ceremony held for 2013.
11. Buddha statue at the Peace Palace, the Headquarters of International Court of
Justice (ICJ) in Hague, the Netherlands: The voice to establish Buddha statue
establishment at the Peace Palace, the Headquarters of International Court of Justice
(ICJ) in Hague, the Netherlands was first time raised on the occasion while celebrating
3rd Lumbini-Kapilvastu Day in the Nepalese embassy UK and it was highlighted in the
International Conference report and was fulfilled because of the joint effort of Nepal
government and NRN.
12. Google correction: In the third week of March, 2010 Google corrected its mistake after
our pressure. Before this it was showing Buddha’s birthplace Uttar Pradhesh as
Buddha’s birthplace.
13. Historic 24 and 25 hours program on Buddha and Lumbini: The Movement
organised historic continuous 24 hours program on Buddha and Lumbini in 2013 and 25
hours program in 2014.
14. Suggestion to form Greater Lumbini Development International Steering
Committee ASAP: Movement suggested Greater Lumbini Development National
Steering Committee Coordinator and former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal
Prachanda to form Greater Lumbini Development International Steering Committee as
soon as possible under the chairmanship of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon as he
already agreed to chair the committee.
Despite these few important, there are lots of other activities and achievements by the
Movement.
