Respect, faith and legacy are the themes of this weekend's (April 13-14) Buddha's Birthday and Multicultural Festival at Perth's Supreme Court Gardens.
The annual event is celebrated all over the world and is the most significant date in the Buddhist calendar honouring the birthday of Sakyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism more than 2,500 years ago in northern India.
The festival is a family friendly, smoke and alcohol-free event that gives everyone the chance to see, hear and taste a range of experiences through ceremonies and rituals, calligraphy sessions, tea and incense appreciation, tai chi and meditation sessions, arts and crafts, vegetarian food and multicultural entertainment.
The program includes the Bathing of the Buddha ceremony, symbolising the cleansing of our minds to eradicate greed, anger and ignorance so that we can develop good deeds, wisdom and compassion.
The festival is hosted by the Buddha's Light International Association of Western Australia and the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple Western Australia.
About 40,000 people are expected to attend the festival, which has been supported by the McGowan Government with $23,000 through the Office of Multicultural Interests' Community Grants Program and Lotterywest.
Entry is free and everyone is welcome.
As stated by Citizenship and Multicultural Interests Minister Paul Papalia:
"Thanks to Western Australia's culturally diverse communities, we get to experience ancient and modern cultural celebrations from all over the world right here on our doorstep.
"Events like the Buddha's Birthday and Multicultural Festival are a chance for everyone to get a special insight into Buddhist practices and beliefs.
"Cultural festivals encourage and build an inclusive society that we can all be a part of and celebrate.
"The Buddha's Birthday and Multicultural Festival is a day out for the whole family, and I encourage everyone to go along and experience this fantastic celebration."
