European Buddhist Union
Encyclopedia
The European Buddhist Union (EBU) is an umbrella organization of Buddhist communities and organizations in Europe founded in 1975. It is open to Buddhist organizations of all schools and traditions.
Encouragement of contact and co-operation between the Buddhists in Europe and the development of friendly relations between Buddhist organizations are its main object. At present there are more than 50 member organisations from 16 European countries exchanging information and experience. The Inter-Buddhist dialogue is one of the priorities of EBU. The BTE (Buddhist Teachers in Europe) is one of the projects initiated by EBU to promote this dialogue between dharma-teachers active in Europe.
At present its executive board consists of Buddhists from France
, Italy
, Germany
and Belgium
, belonging to different schools of Theravada
and Mahayana
. A council of experienced Buddhists support the work of the board. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) attracts delegates from a dozen European countries.
The AGM 2004 was held in Jägerndorf, Germany
. The AGM 2005 was held at Szczecin
, Poland; the AGM 2006 was held in Barcelona
, Spain
, the AGM 2007 in Cadzand
, The Netherlands, the AGM 2008 in Arco, Italy
, the AGM 2009 in Bettisfield, Shropshire
, U.K..
Encouragement of contact and co-operation between the Buddhists in Europe and the development of friendly relations between Buddhist organizations are its main object. At present there are more than 50 member organisations from 16 European countries exchanging information and experience. The Inter-Buddhist dialogue is one of the priorities of EBU. The BTE (Buddhist Teachers in Europe) is one of the projects initiated by EBU to promote this dialogue between dharma-teachers active in Europe.
At present its executive board consists of Buddhists from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, belonging to different schools of Theravada
Theravada
Theravada ; literally, "the Teaching of the Elders" or "the Ancient Teaching", is the oldest surviving Buddhist school. It was founded in India...
and Mahayana
Mahayana
Mahāyāna is one of the two main existing branches of Buddhism and a term for classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice...
. A council of experienced Buddhists support the work of the board. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) attracts delegates from a dozen European countries.
The AGM 2004 was held in Jägerndorf, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The AGM 2005 was held at Szczecin
Szczecin
Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
, Poland; the AGM 2006 was held in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, the AGM 2007 in Cadzand
Cadzand
Cadzand is a town in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is located in the municipality of Sluis, about 8 km northwest of Oostburg. The village contains 804 inhabitants . Better known to many visitors is the nearby beach at Cadzand-Bad....
, The Netherlands, the AGM 2008 in Arco, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, the AGM 2009 in Bettisfield, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, U.K..