11th United Nations Day of Vesak 2014 Call for Academic Articles

International Council for the Day of Vesak

11^thUNITED NATIONS DAY OF VESAK 2014

Call for Academic Articles

Every year since the resolution passed by the United Nation’s General Assembly on 15 December 1999 - the thrice-sacred day of Vesak (celebrating the birth, enlightenment and passing away of the Buddha Gotama) is celebrated internationally. The International Council for the Day of Vesak has been granted Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council since 2013 – to honor commitments, the 11^thUnited Nations Day of Vesak celebrations will take upon: “Buddhism and the UN Millennium Development Goals”, as the general theme of the 2014 UNDV Conference.

This is a call for papers for the 2014 United Nations Day of Vesak (UNDV) Celebrations and Academic Conference to be hosted by the National Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and will be held in Bai Dinh Temple, Vietnam, from 7-11 May 2014. Additional support for the conference is coming from Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University in Thailand, and the International Association of Buddhist Universities.

The conference and celebrations are expected to draw a gathering of 10000 people - including 1500 Buddhist leaders, Buddhist scholars and Buddhist practitioners from all of the Buddhist traditions around the world, and 8500 from Vietnam.

The academic conference will be held on the second day of events (9 May 2014), and will be again organized through the International Association of Buddhist Universities (IABU) in collaboration with National Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.

Papers are now being invited for the UNDV Conference’s main theme on “Buddhist Perspective towards achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals.” We encourage the interdisciplinary study and welcome abstracts or proposals from scholars in all fields related the main and sub-themes of the conference, which include the following:

1. Buddhist Response to Sustainable Development and Social Change

2. Buddhist Response to Global Warming and Environmental Protection

3. Buddhist Contributions to Healthy Living

4. Peace-building and Post-Conflict Recovery

5. Buddhist Education and University Level Curriculum

Acceptable articles, determined by the academic peer-review committee, will be published together along with those highlighted for presentation. The conference volume will be available prior to the beginning of the presentations. Papers selected for publication will be those that combine:

• Thematic relevance
• Familiarity with the UN Millennium Development Goals
• Significant research in primary resources
• Innovative theoretical perspectives
• Clarity of organization
• Accessible prose style

Please remember to produce an account that deals with relevant topic material, Buddhist texts and the readers in meaningful ways.

ABSTRACT TITLE OR PROPOSAL SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• Please submit a title and abstracts of no more than one single-spaced page, along with a one-page CV or a 250-word biography – with your contact information.
• Abstract Proposals must be received by 15 November 2013. We will send confirmation of the receipt of your proposal and will respectfully inform all authors of the status of their abstracts/proposals.
• The proposals will be reviewed by the UNDV Academic Peer-Review Committee.
• You will receive feedback on your abstract by 30 November 2013.
• Please send all proposals and articles as Microsoft Word Files(.doc or .docx)

Call for Papers issued:30 September 2013

Deadline for Abstracts:15 November 2013

Notification of Acceptance:30 November 2013

Final Full-Article Deadline: 28 February 2014

Invitations to Conference, sent by:07 March 2014

We must have your fully-perfected articles by the final deadline date to ensure that the article is considered for publication and presentation. Approval of one’s abstract does not mean acceptance into the publication or presentation – as we reserve the right to screen your final version of the article. Once the academic peer-review committee completes their selections, and the editors have completed any additional formatting/revisions – deadline dates are established to ensure the issuing the publication to all of our venerable dignitaries, observers, delegates, panelists and students, etc., for the conference, in a timely fashion.

PAPER SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

• Submitted papers are referred and selected on the basis of quality and relevance to the main theme and sub-themes of UNDV 2014 conference and celebrations.
• Submitted Papers should be additionally readied for verbal-presentation (articles may be readied for PowerPoint presentations, rather than just reading from one’s article).
• Papers should be from 8-12 pages, submitted in the preferred font: ‘Times EXT Roman’ (for papers with Pāli/Sanskrit diacritic markings).
• Please download this font: http://www.bcca.org/services/fonts/- and compose your article in this font. Articles will be returned if there are any undisplayed diacritical-markings.
• Papers may be rejected for specific circumstances, but may be rewritten, following committee recommendations.

PLEASE SEND ABSTRACTS and FINAL PAPERS to:

Most Ven.Dr. Thich Nhat Tu (Editorial Committee Manager) at:[email protected]

If you are invited to attend our international conference, your arrival should be on 07 May 2014, and departures begin on 11 May 2014). Any additional longer-term shall be from your own expenses. Invitation notifications to accepted scholars for presenting at the UNDV 2014 Conference and Celebrations will be sent by 04 March 2014. Economy-class airfare will be reimbursed upon arrival, and food and hotel-accommodations in Hanoi, Vietnam will be sponsored by National Vietnam Buddhist Sangha – only for scholars with approved articles.

We would be honored if you could grace us with your valuable contribution and presence.

Yours sincerely,