On the 25–28th of September, 2025, the III International Buddhist Forum took place in Elista, the capital of the Republic of Kalmykia, the Russian Federation. It brought together more than seven thousand participants,  about  one  thousand of  them  came  from  thirty-five countries of the world. Among the foreign guests of the Kalmyk State University was Nawang Tsering Shakspo, the Director of the Centre for Research on Ladakh, India.

The 1st International Buddhist Forum was held in the republic of Buryatia in 2023, since then it has become an annual event. The main aim of the Forum is to strengthen international dialogue and encourage interfaith harmony, contribute to the formation of a sustainable and fair world order. In four days, the capital of Kalmykia became the center of world Buddhism: more than fifty events were held with the participation of spiritual leaders, scientists and statesmen. Before the official opening of the Forum the delegation of the Kalmyk State University went on an excursion around the university facilities: such as medical facilities provided within campus of the university to disabled children, simulation Center of the Medical faculty, Regional Research and Production Center and campus.

The forum was opened with a grandiose multimedia show titled Nomads by Andrei Boltenko, a world-famous director and producer, co-founder of the Raketamedia multimedia studio and director of the opening of  the Sochi  Olympic Games.  It  was  a  unique creative symbiosis of digital technologies, Kalmyk mythology and skills of performers.Traditional Kalmykia academic song and dance were performed by the artists.

During the Forum the practice discussed holding Buddhist forums in  up-coming  years,  the  development  of  Buddhist  education, pilgrimage tourism and the creative potential of the Buddhist tradition in response to the challenges of our time. Discussions and round tables were conducted highlighting Buddhism in modern studies and its philosophical aspects, Buddhist culture, the history of Buddhism in Asia and Russia, the preservation of the institution of monasticism, the influence of Buddhism on the attractiveness of domestic and international tourism, and the practices of traditional medicine in Buddhist countries were discussed. The most important issues came for discussion were the fight against environmental threats, the growth of economic potential, Buddhism in the digital era and Philosophical aspects of Buddhism.

One  of  the  key  arrangements  of  the  cultural  program  was  a combined orchestra performance, uniting a thousand musicians under  the  direction of the artistic  director  and  conductor  of  the National Orchestra of Kalmykia Savr Kataev.

On the final day of the forum, the guests visited the republican national cultural and sports festival Dzhangariada, whose history dates back more than a hundred years. The program combined competitions in traditional Kalmyk sports—javelin throwing, horse races, archery and belt wrestling.

The III International Buddhist Forum has been a success, because Buddhist greatest wisdom unites dozens of countries and peoples after more than two and a half thousand years. They come to make friends, preserve, develop and follow the Dharma, discuss common tasks and solve problems, making the world a better place.

Agreement on the establishment of international scientific team for realization of scientific project in the field of buddhology.

The Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education, Kalmyk State

University named after B.B. Gorodoviko and representatives of educational institutions of higher education, scientific organizations, hereinafter collectively referred to as parties, guided by the general interest in intensifying scientific research on Buddhist problems and taking into account the important role in consolidating the efforts in the implementation of scientific and educational partnerships in the field of academic Buddhology, concluded a multilateral Agreement on the following:

1. The parties decided to create an international temporary scientific team, including representatives of partner universities and scientific organizations, in order to implement a scientific project on the topic.

   The Human Phenomenon in the Buddhist Picture of the World

2. The purpose of creating a temporary scientific team:

   • organization of joint research and development within theagreed priority areas;

   • joint work on  the training of  academic  staff;  creation  of favourable  conditions  for  the  exchange  of  information, methodological approaches, experience.

3. Within the activities of the created temporary scientific team, thefollowing forms of cooperation are included:

   • development and implementation of integration researchprojects;

   • formation of joint research grant proposals;

   • joint field studies;

   • organization of scientific internships and practices of students, undergraduates, teachers and researchers;

   • conducting scientific events at the sites of the Parties;

   • publication  of  collective  monographs  and  collections of scientific works;

   • lectures and master classes;

4. The parties can facilitate the development of direct contacts and cooperation  between research  teams  by  concluding  bilateral agreements.

5. Financing of the activities of the created temporary scientific team is carried out at the expense of intra-university grants of the Kalmyk State University named after B.B. Gorodovikov.

6. In the course of their activities, all parties shall be guided by good intentions and the principle of goodwill.

7. The coordinator of the activities of the temporary scientific team being  created  should  be  determined  by  the  Federal  State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education Kalmyk State University named after B.B. Gorodovikovt.

8. Parties and  signatures: Federal  State  Budgetary  Educational Institution of Higher Education; Kalmyk State University named after B. B. Gorodovikov, Elista, Russia.

Signatories

• Head of Department of Philosophy and Cultural Studies Professor (Signature) M.S. Ulanov

• Institute of Mongolian Studies, Buddhology and Tibetology of Siberian Department of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Ulan-Ude, Russia)

• Chief Scientific Officer (Signature) I.S. Urbanayeva Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education Tuvan State University (Kyzyl, Russia)

• Rector (Signature) O.M. Khomushku Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education;

• Samara National Research University named after Academician S.P. Korolev; (Samara, Russia)

• Professor of Department of Philosophy (Signature) L.B. Chetyrova Institute of Philosophy of the Academy of Sciences of Mongolia (Mongolia)

• Leading Scientific Officer (Signature) Ts. Tsetsenbileg Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education; St. Petersburg State University; (St. Petersburg, Russia)

• Associate Professor of Department of Russian Philosophy and Culture (Signature) A.M. Alekseev-Apraksin

• The Center for Research on Ladakh (India) Chief Executive Officer (Signature) Nawang Tsering Shakspo

• Inner Mongolia University (Hohhot, China)

• Professor of the School of Marxism (Signature) Siqin Gao Wa Institute for the Study of Buddhism and Buddhist Culture, Monastery Dashichoiling (Mongolia) Director of the Institute for the Study of Buddhism and Buddhist Culture (Signature) Gombodorj Myagmarsuren