World Fellowship of Buddhists to table resolution proclaiming full moon day of September (Binara Poya Day) as the ‘International Buddhist Women’s Day’

The Buddhist Channel, Sept 27, 2016 Seoul, South Korea -- At the 28th General Conference of the World Fellowship  of Buddhists (WFB) to be held in Seoul, South Korea from 26-30 september  2016, a resolution has been proposed to proclaim the full moon day of  September (Binara Poya Day) as the ‘International Buddhist Women’s Day’ The resolution, sponsored by Senaka Weeraratna, representing the German Dharmaduta Society, proposes the following: 1. To initiate a global discourse with a focus on the historical importance of full moon day  of September (Binara) for the entire female world, and 2. To proclaim the full moon day of September (Binara Poya Day) as the ‘International Buddhist Women’s Day’’ According to Mr Weeraratna, the rationale behind the resolution is to recoqnise that "... Buddhist womens’ movements for rights has a longer history and goes back to over 2500 years ago commencing during the Buddha’s lifetime". "This is symbolic for many reasons and we appeal to you to consider the circumstance of how women made their appeal two thousand or more years ago during times when women had only few rights," he adds. He also notes that March 8th has been declared as the International Women’s day by the UN, a day celebrated worldwide since 1977. In some countries,  ‘National Women’s Day’ are also dedicated as public holidays. In South Africa, August 9 epitomizes the protest against apartheid led by women. The day has been observed since 1956. The German Dharmaduta Society will table the resolution at the up-coming WFB general conference at the request of Buddhist International (BI), an organisation based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The society has also garnered support from members of Shakyamuni Thathagath Samma Sambuddha’s dispensation, including Bhikkhus, Bhikkhunis all over the world, who is collectively appealing to the Government of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka as well as all local and foreign civil society organizations, all international institutions including the United Nations Organization, and eminent persons and scholars to support the resolution.