Local religious monastery holds conference in Osceola County

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Local religious monastery holds conference in Osceola County

Around Osceola

Wednesday, 30 June 2010 00:00

The Wat Florida Dhammaram, a local religious monastery, recently hosted the 26th annual General Council Conference of the Dhammayut Order in Osceola County. The international conference has been rotated annually to different states.
The gathering brought together 130 high-ranking monks from 57 monasteries throughout the United States and included the policy-setting officers of the order, high-ranking monks from Thailand and Europe and the Thai ambassador, Dr. Amnaj Buasiri.
The Wat Florida Dhammaram is in Osceola County district 1. Commissioner Michael Harford was invited to the opening ceremony as honored guest and local government representative, along with other guests and participating monks from around the world.
Harford addressed the council and thanked its members for their invitation and collaboration in the community.
“I am humbled to be invited to speak and welcome Reverend Father and the leadership of your order. The positive impact of your order in the neighborhood and the community is welcome. I look forward to your fall festival and your continued support in the community,” Harford said.
Dr. Jaranan Vanichanan, assistant to the abbot said, “I feel very privileged to have the commissioner here. This is the first time in the past 25 years that the local government representative has taken interest and participated in our activity.”
The Rev. Father Im, who is the elder thera (teacher), president of the 26th Annual Conference of the Order, and founder of the Wat Florida Dhammaram monastery in Kissimmee, welcomed Commissioner Harford and shared with him the experience of his first visit years ago to the desolated citrus grove, where he envisioned that years later it would become the monastery.
“I sat under a huge oak tree, the area was practically desolate, just a neglected citrus grove, and I felt the strong need of a place for spiritual guidance,” Rev. Father Im said.
For more information, contact the Osceola County Public Information Office at 407-742-0100.