On Monday, November 25, Fo Guang Shan Temple of Toronto celebrated International Meatless Day with its 2024 Neighborhood Appreciation Day, featuring a vibrant vegetarian food tasting event. Nearly 250 attendees, including local business owners, educators, corporate employees, and community residents, gathered to enjoy a day rich in cultural, educational, and culinary experiences.

The event offered an engaging program, including calligraphy, tea meditation, an exhibit highlighting Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s ten stages of Dharma propagation, videos showcasing Fo Guang Shan’s contributions to Humanistic Buddhism, and an immersive Buddhist Journey, the Journey to the Buddha Land, experience. The highlight of the day was a banquet of over 30 vegetarian dishes representing regions such as Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia, all lovingly prepared by dedicated volunteers.

Venerable Chueh Fan, Abbess of FoGuang Shan Temple of Toronto, led a team of over 50 monastics and volunteers who worked tirelessly to foster stronger connections with the local community. She expressed heartfelt gratitude for the neighborhood’s unwavering supportover the past 27 years, particularly during large-scale temple events that require logistical collaboration. She emphasized the event’s dual objectives: to deepen community ties and to promote the health and environmental benefits of vegetarian living. Timed to coincide with International Meatless Day, the event also supported the Buddha’s Light International Association Toronto Chapter’s "Meatless Monday" initiative, encouraging attendees to pledge their commitment to Vege Plan A for a more sustainable lifestyle.

The day’s activities were thoughtfully designed to highlight cultural insights, meditative practices, andculinary delights. Guests explored Fo Guang Shan’s history and Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s Dharma propagation journey through multimedia presentations and exhibits. Calligraphy and tea meditation sessions offered attendees a chance to experience Buddhist wisdom and tranquility, with participants practicing calligraphy guided by English interpretations and savoring tea in a serene atmosphere in front of Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s One-Stroke Calligraphy Lunar New Year blessings. The vegetarian tasting was the centerpiece of the event, showcasing an impressive array of dishes with vibrant presentations, rich flavors, and diverse textures.

The event attracted participants from various sectors, including officers from Peel Region Police, school counselors, interfaith workers, and employees from nearby companies. Some attendees traveled from as far as downtown Toronto and Guelph to participate. First-time visitors were impressed by the depth of Buddhist culture and the exceptional vegetarian cuisine, describing it as both a sensory delight and a warm gesture of hospitality.

Experienced volunteer Anna Lee reflected on the scale of the event, noting that it was the temple’s first Neighborhood Appreciation Day of this magnitude. She praised the collective efforts of the volunteers, which embodied Fo Guang Shan’s core values of giving confidence, joy, hope, and convenience. Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive. Many appreciated the event’s cultural and educational elements, while others, like first-time guest Vicky Karir, expressed interest in joining as a volunteer to support future initiatives.

This memorable Monday celebration strengthened bonds between the temple and the community, fostering harmony and goodwill. It also highlighted the benefits of vegetarian living, leaving a lasting impression of warmth, hospitality, and shared cultural appreciation while planting seeds for deeper connections and collaborations in the future.