Present there were office bearers of the Central Committee of the Buddhist Federation of Korea and its provincial, city and county committees, monks of temples and believers.

Rituals and speeches were made at the event.

The speakers said they were celebrating the "birthday of Buddha" at a time when all the people of the country are waging a dynamic general advance for glorifying this year as a year of shining victories in which golden days of a thriving nation are ushered in hearty response to the New Year joint editorial.

They called on all Buddhists at home and abroad to unit in the Dharma-minded concord under the uplifted slogan "Let all Koreans open the gate to the reunified country, full of fresh confidence!" and courageously turn out in the struggle for achieving the country's reunification.

The Lee Myung Bak group of traitors' reckless moves to escalate the confrontation with the DPRK have created an extremely grave situation and difficulties in the way of developing the north-south relations and achieving the country's reunification, they noted.

They urged all Buddhists in the north and south and overseas to take practical actions to hold fast to the stance of national independence and priority to the nation, achieve national reconciliation and unity and check and foil the war moves of bellicose forces at home and abroad.

Then a prayer for the country's reunification was read out.

It reflected the firm will of all the Buddhists to wipe out the Lee Myung Bak group of traitors hell-bent on hurting the dignity of the supreme leadership and system in the DPRK and extreme provocations and accomplish the historic cause of the country's reunification at any cost by the concerted efforts of Koreans under the banner of the north-south joint declaration.