ALL IN ONE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION

This year, IBC celebrated Chinese New Year in much grand and elaborate event. The day this year is celebrated not only Chinese New Year, but it coincided with Vietnamese New Year, Korean New Year and Bhutanese Losar (New Year). Therefore, the theme for this year’s celebration was kept ‘ALL IN ONE’.

To bring all in one, the professors, staff and students of IBC responded to the theme by preparing various types of food from their own countries, ranging from continental food to Indian dhal, and to Bhutanese Ema Datshi. It was like a food festival, offering 13 types of food from differential nationals. Besides the delicious food and joyful moments, this event has also successfully promoted the diversity of culture and tradition.

The other segment of the event in the evening, starts with the Chanting of Five Traditions (Theravada, Tibetan or Tantric Mahayana, Mahayana, Korean and Vietnamese). Later followed by sharing on the emergence and significance of Chinese New Year by Brother Tan Poh Beng. Furthermore is a brief introduction on individual country’s new year festivals with video clips and songs were also organised and presented.

Much more educative and fun cherishing was the Dharma Quiz whereby not only students, but even the lay and local staff participated in the quiz and took away many prizes. The quiz was a generalised question related to the Buddha’s Teaching and The Three Major Traditions in Buddhism such as Theravada, Mahayana and Tibetan Buddhism. It was indeed a very fruitful way of celebration all traditions in one.