Celebrating the 91 years of compassion of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, the first phase of the ‘Karuna Dhara’ project, launched by the Foundation for Buddhist Brotherhood led by Dr. Damenda Porage, was held on 1 January 2026 at the Pali and Sanskrit Cultural Exchange Center in Heiyanthuduwa, Sri Lanka. The initiative aims to promote a united Buddhist world with humanity at its core.
As the first step of the project, long-life prayers were offered to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, a symbol of universal compassion, along with protective chanting (pirith sajjhāyana) to invoke well-being for the New Year for all sentient and celestial beings. Ten Bhikkhus presided over the chanting, which took place in the 1000 Buddhas Holy Chamber at the Center.
The second phase of the project focused on providing financial aid to 11 Buddhist temples in the region that were severely affected by the Cyclone Ditwah storm in November 2025. In this initial stage, the Foundation donated financial assistance to three selected temples.
The third phase involved educational support for 27 schoolchildren from 27 families in the Heiyanthuduwa area who were impacted by the disaster.
The event was coordinated by Dr. Sharmila Milroy, Registrar of the Center. The program was attended by the chief incumbents of local Buddhist temples, Mala Surangani, Buddhist Affairs Coordinator at the Biyagama Divisional Secretariat, and a large number of local residents.
