BLIA

In response to the needs of local Buddhist practitioners, the Association was initially formed on February 3, 1991 in Taiwan. It was officially inaugurated as "Buddha's Light International Association" in Los Angeles, California on May 16, 1992 by the founding president, Venerable Master Hsing Yun.

BLIA is an organisation consisting of lay Buddhists who observe the practice of Humanistic Buddhism in daily life. Its primary objective is to serve all beings, spread a joyous spirit amongst people and to nurture the virtue of compassion. It places emphasis on education, culture, cultivation and service. The Association engages in activities that are beneficial to society at large. In Australia and New Zealand, the Association participates in activities such as Clean Up Australia Day, National Tree Planting Day and the Buddha's Day Multicultural Festival.

Over 100 BLIA chapters have been established around the world to date, in the United States of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Russia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Japan, Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand, India, Brazil, Argentina, Africa and other regions. There are currently more than one million members worldwide.

In 2003, two major agencies of the United Nations, the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC) and UN's Department of Public Information (UNDPI), granted special consultative status to BLIA.