Calgary based Mon Cultural Society and the Mon Women’s Organization hosted a
fund raising event on August 9, 2003 to raise funds for the building of a
Buddhist temple in western Canada.

From Africa, to Asia and from Korea to Tibet, diverse supporters applauded
the new Golden Shell Drake dance while Kachoin Mon were lively performed by
the women’s group at the Southview Community Association in Calgary. The
female dancers wore brightly colored traditional costumes newly brought in from Monland and made in Mandalay.

The event was hosted by the MCS and MWO which offered various entertainment
activities including cultural performances and traditional sport demonstrations, such as the popular Rael, LakPloey, followed by Karaoke singing and dancing in which everyone happily joined in, free snack, coffee and tea was offered for refreshment.

Alberta MLA Hon. Wayne Cao and community leaders, Ramanya Kelasa, Cham Toik
and Nai Chan Tha delivered speeches to over 150 supporters who joined in the
fund raising night which lasted from 7 pm till midnight.

“Everyone enjoyed the party; we raised about 1,400 (Canadian $) for a future
temple, construction is planned for 2005”, said Nai Simon, organizer of the event.

The Mon Buddhist Temple committee was founded on April 13, 2003 in Calgary
with an objective to preserve Buddhism and the Mon tradition and to provide
a venue for social interaction between Canadians and the Mon community.

Buddhism shaped Mon history and culture more than anything else with the
majority of the Mon population following the teaching of Theravada Buddhism
that strongly influenced the cultural development of their old Kingdoms in lower Burma and central Thailand. The Mon devotes in Buddhism and the exile
Mon community in the USA has built Buddhist temples in recent years.