Viet Nam Temple - Closing Speech by Ian Green
Houston (Sugar Land), Texas, 8 April 2010.

Honoured Guests, Venerable Sangha...Brothers and Sisters.

It is a great pleasure to be here at the closing ceremony at Viet Nam temple The Jade Buddha for Universal Peace is being taken on a tour of the world in the wish that it will inspire everyone who sees it to follow the path of peace.

I am pleased to say that the showing here in Viet Nam temple has been a great success which has exceeded all our expectations.

Over the last two weeks we estimate that 110,000 people came to see the Jade Buddha. The world tour commenced one year in Danang and the visitors here at Viet Nam temple brings the total number of visitors for the first year to over 4 million and five hundred thousand.

I congratulate Abbot Thich Nguyen Hanh and everyone at Viet Nam temple who created this magnificent and sacred presentation of the Jade Buddha.

From Houston the Jade Buddha travels to Miami and 20 other temples in USA and Canada before travelling to Europe and returning to Asia.

We have agreed that the Jade Buddha will come back to USA in 2013 or 2014 and I am pleased to say that both Houston and Dallas will be included in that next tour.

We have also agreed that the last country the Jade Buddha will visit will be a return journey to Vietnam.

After the world tour concludes in 5 or more years the Jade Buddha will come to its final home at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion in Bendigo, Australia.

Rising to a height of nearly 50 metres, the Great Stupa will be the largest Buddhist Stupa outside of Asia. Its total cost is in excess of $20 million and it is entirely funded by donation. All donations received here at Viet Nam temple will go toward the world tour of the Jade Buddha and the construction of the Great Stupa.

We will always remember Viet Nam temple in Houston as the first showing of the Jade Buddha for universal Peace in Texas.

Thanks once again to Abbot Thich Nguyen Hanh, the monks and volunteers at Viet Nam temple and Thank you all.

May the Buddhadharma flourish. May peace break out around our world.

NAM MO BON SU THICH CA MAU NI PHAT