The assembly lights up glow sticks together, offering collective prayers for world peace.

The BLIA youth demonstrate excellence as they work hand-in-hand to pass down the legacy of faith.

BLIA officers extend warm invitations to attendees for the upcoming "Lunar New Year Good Neighbor Day" at the IBPS Chicago Zen Center.

BLIA members and the Young Adult Division (YAD) participate in the "Interfaith Prayer Service for World Peace."

Venerable Miao Wei discusses the inclusivity and collaborative potential of different religions with representatives from the host institution, North Central College.

YAD Vice President Bea Haverkos and officer Celine Wang take the stage to share an article by Venerable Master Hsing Yun, explaining the Humanistic Buddhist wisdom of "I am among the multitude."

Lauren Pittelli, President of the English Chapter, introduces IBPS Chicago and BLIA, promotes the FGSITC booklets, and shares "Three Acts of Goodness" pins as tokens of Dharma friendship.

 

Venerable Miao Wei of the Fo Guang Shan Chicago Buddhist Temple led a delegation of 20 members, including BLIA volunteers and Young Adult Division (YAD) members, to participate in the “Interfaith World Peace Prayer Service” held at North Central College. Themed “Overcoming Fear By Fostering Unity in Our Diversity,” the event brought together more than 300 participants from 23 religious and ethnic groups, with the Chicago temple serving as the sole representative of Buddhism.

YAD Vice President Bea Haverkos and executive Celine Wang took the stage to share Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s article, “I Am Among the Multitude,” explaining the wisdom of Humanistic Buddhism’s focus on collective harmony. Using the Chicago YAD as an example, they analyzed the different levels of Humanistic Buddhism and its practical application in daily life. Their concise and powerful presentation vividly interpreted the day’s theme and earned enthusiastic applause from the audience.

At the conclusion of the event, all participants held glowing light sticks to symbolize the light of peace, praying for world harmony. Following the service, English Subchapter President Lauren Pittelli led the setup of a promotional booth to introduce the Chicago Buddhist Temple and BLIA. They distributed Fo Guang booklets and “Three Acts of Goodness” pins, warmly inviting the public to attend the “Neighbor & Community Joy Day” on February 1.

Hui Wang, Secretary of the BLIA Chicago Chapter, remarked: “The differences between religions and races are like ingredients—eggs, flour, and sugar. But through the furnace of tolerance and compassion, we eventually become a delicious cake that fulfills one another.” Bea Haverkos shared that the process of preparing the speech deepened her understanding of the Master’s philosophy and the humility of being “among the multitude,” learning to pay more attention to the needs of others. YAD member David Wang added: “This event is a beautiful start to 2025. As the Buddha said, all sentient beings possess Buddha-nature; today’s gathering made it feel as if the Pure Land was right before our eyes.”