College of Humanities Dean Alain-Philippe Durand and Center for Buddhist Studies Director Jiang Wu signed an agreement with the Maitreya Culture & Education Foundation to create a Maitreya Library at the University of Arizona.
The agreement, signed in Hong Kong last week during an award ceremony hosted by Professor Andrew Wong of the Maitreya Culture & Education Foundation, secures a gift to the UA to create the Maitreya Library, which will be one of more than 30 created by the foundation.
The award ceremony honored winners of an essay competition intended to foster cultural exchange and understanding. The essay competition, “Ci - Chinese character of Compassion,” drew 200 entries from 39 institutions in four countries and regions. Two UA students, undergraduate Rob Lisak and graduate student Yi Liu presented their essays in the ceremony and received their awards.
The event commemorated the 10th anniversary of the Maitreya Culture & Education Foundation, and Durand presented a gift to Prof. Wong on behalf of the College of Humanities and the Center for Buddhist Studies.