...politicians might reconsider their stance on meeting the Dalai Lama if he makes it to this part of the world again. A man who draws crowds of nearly 10,000 as well as extensive media coverage is hardly insignificant to political leaders...the Dalai Lama has immense “soft power that every western politician or president would die to have".

A long-planned exhibition of nearly 70 pieces of Buddhist art from Pakistan will finally open at Asia Society on Aug. 9, after political intrigue in Pakistan and a breakdown in American-Pakistani relations delayed it for six months. Anti-Americanism, which soared in the aftermath of the killing of Osama bin Laden, helped put the show in jeopardy.

Hu Yuandong of UNIDO...says the focus of the project is job creation, poverty alleviation and environmental protection. Xiao has made clear that the $3bn investment is not coming from the Chinese government, but rather from various funds "around the world" - even from the Middle East. But it would be difficult not to see this as a smart move by China and an extension of its soft power.

For four generations, the Soviets waged war on Buddhists, sometimes branding them “Japanese spies.” Now, 20 years after the collapse of communism, Buddhism is experiencing a massive revival in its historic areas. Although more Russians are Buddhists today than before the revolution, the Kremlin rejects their central demand.

According to the External Affairs Ministry, it is paying attention to strengthening the “public diplomacy” capabilities of Missions abroad and with the support of expatriate Sri Lankan communities seeks to change the negative perceptions about Sri Lanka that had hitherto prevailed.

President Dr Ram Baran Yadav today inaugurated a three-day Conference on ‘Buddhism: Traditional Practices and Pluralistic Innovations’. Scholars and Buddhist monks from Nepal, India, Thailand, South Korea, Myanmar, Japan, Sri Lanka and Bhutan are participating in the conference.

The Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday morning opened the International Buddhist Conference to commemorate together with India, the 2.600th "Sambuddhtva Jayanthi", the anniversary of Buddha's enlightenment.

An exclusive look inside a booming multi-billion dollar, evangelical, global Thai cult.