Lumbini-Kapilvastu Global Campaign (LKGC) (previously Lumbini-Kapilvastu Day) institutionalized in 2010 has achieved significant achievements in reinforcing democracy, World Peace process and protecting human rights in many ways.

Misinformation on the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, a world peace symbol, is continually being spread throughout museums, monasteries, international books, and even teaching curriculums of many countries. The extent of the misinformation was revealed through the LKGC letter to then Prime Minister of Nepal, Madhav Kumar Nepal in August 2010 that suggests rectification of the misconceptions about the birthplace of Buddha from many countries as this is the root of the problem.

Root of the Problem:

Ashoka Pillar was lost for centuries and when India was under the British rule, some British writers had written that Buddha was born in the northern part of India which is still believed to be true in many parts of the world today. This erroneous information is based on old British archives with many scholars mistakenly quoting that source. It seems many people are unaware of the true birthplace of Buddha, and it continues today through media such as articles, books, museums, sites, and films with the error continuing to expand.

Reinforcing Democracy:

Over the past few years, the “right to information” has gained increasing prominence in human rights and the democratic discourses. At the heart of it, there are two key concepts:

• The right of the public to request access to information and the corresponding duty of the government to meet that request, with the exclusion of exceptional circumstances such as national security issues and
• The duty of the government to proactively provide certain key information, even in the absence of a request.

The right to information is meaningless without having the correct information however; millions of people globally have been provided misconstrued information pertaining to the true birthplace of Lord Buddha.  This is an injustice that requires correction. Given the magnitude of this injustice, the LKGC is giving the utmost priority to promoting the correct information with the objective to reinforce “right to information” to the world.

Protecting Human Rights:

Human rights issue is very important in this epoch, hence, this step was urgently needed to protect human rights of those interested to visit Lord Buddha’s birthplace because every year, thousands are visiting the wrong one because of misinformation. They are being fed lies so they would be wasting their time and money. One of the most important objectives of LKGC is to convey the correct information in order to protect human rights.

Reinforcing World Peace Process

LKGC is trying its best to reinforce the World Peace Process by spreading Lord Buddha’s message, bringing together different nationalities, reinforcing democracy, protecting human rights and in many other ways.

Major LKGC achievements in reinforcing democracy, World Peace process and protecting human rights include:

1. In December, 2011, Nepal’s Ambassador to Korea, Kamal Koirala wrote to President Lee Myung-bak requesting him to change the erroneous information in South Korean textbooks regarding the birthplace of Lord Buddha and the Korean government agreed.
2. The diplomatic initiatives taken from the LKGC has resulted in the correction of misinformation about Lord Buddha’s birthplace in Swedish textbooks.

   

3. Google corrected its mistake on Buddha’s birthplace in March 2010.
4. British Museum decided to correct Buddha’s birthplace information in November
5. The voice raised establishing Buddha statues at the Peace Palace, the Headquarters of International Court of Justice (ICJ) in Hague, the Netherlands in the third anniversary of the campaign organised in Nepal Embassy, London in 2011 was materialized in 2013.
6. Buddha statue gifted to then Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard in 2013.
7. Solidarity for world peace and interaction program conducted in Norway in December 2013.
8. Buddha statue gifted to Norwegian Nobel Institute Director in February 2014.
9. Historic, continuous 24 and 25 hours program on Buddha and Lumbini in 2013 and 2014 respectively.
10. International Literary Festival focusing on Buddha and Lumbini was organised in December 2014.

11. 

    On 30th of December, 2015 LKGC Global Coordinator Engr. Shrestha handed over a 6-page research report to the former Prime Minister of Nepal, Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda addressing Presidents and Prime Ministers of the United States, China, India, Japan, Thailand, the Netherlands and Sri Lanka requesting them to correct erroneous text books. Based on that document Nepal government cabinet made a decision and Ministry of Tourism wrote them through Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). Before that Mr. Shrestha met Vice President, ex Prime Ministers, ex Deputy Prime Ministers and Communist leader to brief them about the LKGC activities and achievements.

12. Friends of Nepal appointed to National Finalist at Miss World Australia / Ambassador at Festivals of South Asia Inc. Rashi Kapoor, Executive at Miss Sri Lanka Australia Savindhi Perera-Jainudeen (Sav Jainudeen), Miss Photographic for Miss Sri Lanka Australia 2015 Sara Liyanage, President Aus-Lanka Business Council and Managing Director Miss Sri Lanka Australia Dilkie Perera and others to reinforce Global Village concept.
13. Erroneous information correction on Buddha’s birthplace in the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion situated near Bendigo (Victoria, Australia) and the largest Buddhist Stupa in the Western world and Nan Tien Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in the southern hemisphere (Sydney).
14. Global Coordinator Mr. Shrestha publishes articles through mainstream and international medias too with the objective of reinforcing World Peace Movement. Campaign Facebook Page and Mr. Shrestha’s personal Facebook Page regularly post Buddha messages and materials to boost positive thinking. Few links of the published articles by Mr. Shrestha:
    1. Overpowering New Decade Challenges 
    2. Buddha’s Teaching: Key to World Peace 
    3. Buddhism: Time to Catalyze World Peace  
15. Mr. Shrestha runs blog for the Global Campaign to spread its activities and achievements all over the world: https://worldamity.wordpress.com/

Update:

1. Deputy Prime Minister of Australia (the then Australia’s Federal Shadow Minister for Defence/ former Federal Minister) Hon. Richard Marles highlights Nepal as Magical Country and Country of Buddha’s birthplace and Mt. Everest in a meeting with Mr. Shrestha: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_mlCa7eMD8 
2. Lumbini Diplomacy Concept: As Lumbini-Kapilvastu Global Campaign (LKGC) Global Coordinator Mr. Shrestha developed Lumbini Diplomacy Concept and handed over to present Prime Minister of Nepal (the then former Prime Minister of Nepal) Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda with the objective to find better and effective way to achieve Global Campaign objectives and was responsible for pitching its implementation to the Nepalese Government.