2014 ANZBYC Starts in Melbourne

The 2014 ANZBYC started on 4th July, attracting over a hundred youths all over cities from Australasia. The opening ceremony was presided over by Australian Fo Guang Shan’s Venerable Abbess Manke, other Venerables, BLIA Melbourne President Jin Hui Huang and other Committee Members.

Abbess Manke encouraged the youths to harness positive energy and take up the responsibility of becoming human Bodhisattvas. She hopes this year’s youth camp be the best it’s ever been.

On the first day, the youths gathered to make “DIY rugs” by sawing positive slogans onto rugs to donate to local homeless people. This exercise allowed them to learn about team work, creativity and compassion for others.

Then all the Australian and New Zealand youth teams gathered to report and present their activities through the year. Through this sharing they learnt about each other’s experiences, thus learnt new skills and got to known each other better. New Zealand youth division’s presentation received many applause thus displaying Humanistic Buddhism’s expansion in that part of the globe.