Albert Lin, The Merit Times staff writer
September 7, 2023

On August 31, 2023, Buddha's Light International Association (BLIA) Sydney participated in the multi-faith "Meet the Lord Mayor Afternoon Tea" at Phive Parramatta. BLIA Sydney was represented by Vice President Hsu Wei-Ping, Vice President of the BLIA Sydney West-1 sub-chapter Florence Yuen, and member of the East-1 sub-chapter Chen Xiaoyan. They engaged in discussions with Lord Mayor Sameer Pandey and around 30 representatives from various religious backgrounds.

Lord Mayor Sameer Pandey delivered a welcoming speech, stating that Parramatta is a city characterized by its diversity in religion and culture. Over half of its residents were born overseas, and the population has been steadily increasing in recent years. The Phive Library, which was completed a year ago, has been ranked among the top four libraries globally. Parramatta holds a vital position as the central city in the Western region.

Lord Mayor Sameer Pandey expressed that the guiding principles for urban development are sustainability, collaboration, and livability. He expressed his desire to hear the voices of community groups, collaborate with multicultural communities, and invite the diverse religious individuals present to share their opinions and concerns.

Fo Guang members exchanged their opinions with Lord Mayor Sameer Pandey(right). photo／The Life News Agency

Religious representatives engaged in discussions and shared their insights. The common topics of concern included housing issues, public facilities, and various aspects of people's livelihoods. A representative from the Islamic faith reminded everyone to pay attention to the youth and understand their expectations for the city's future development. Additionally, attendees expressed the desire for regular multicultural religious exchanges.

BLIA Sydney expressed gratitude for Lord Mayor Sameer Pandey's invitation. Fo Guang member Chen Xiaoyan mentioned that in recent years, BLIA Sydney has been propagating Dharma beyond the temple, seeking to bring the concepts of goodness and beauty from Buddhism to the community. She expressed the hope that the city government could provide support in terms of venues and facilities.

Parramatta Mission Minister Geoff Smith agreed with the ideas presented by BLIA Sydney and also expressed the hope that Parramatta, while rapidly developing, would take care of all aspects of society and not leave anyone behind.

Lord Mayor Sameer Pandey responded to the feedbacks from attendees and mentioned that the city government is planning to establish a "Cultural and Arts Precinct" to provide a conducive space for the development of local arts and cultural activities. Finally, Hsu Wei-Ping and Florence Yuen, representing BLIA Sydney, expressed their gratitude to Lord Mayor Sameer Pandey and expressed the hope of maintaining ongoing communication and collaboration in the future to create a beautiful and livable environment together.