Foreign delegates attended the Gandhara Week celebrations this year March 2007 visited the ancient city of Taxila where they were captivated by the rich archaeological and cultural heritage. Delegates from different countries including Korea, Japan, Thailand, Sri Lanka and China were unanimous in their observation that both public and private organizations needed to make concerted efforts to exploit the country's true potential and attract more and more tourists.

Commenting on the Gandhara Week, the delegates said such events would promote religious tourism in Pakistan, besides projecting the country's soft image globally. Pakistan harbors rich Buddhist treasures, they added.

The event is part of the Destination Pakistan 2007 program being observed with the theme: "Historical review of the world's ancient Buddhist civilization." Another significance of the celebrations is that Buddhists across the globe are observing the 2,550th birth anniversary of the great Buddha.

Gandhara is the one of the holiest places for followers of Buddhism and is the place from where the religion flourished across the globe.

The chief priest of Enmanji Temple Japan, Ryoko Nishioka, appreciated the Ministry of Tourism for organizing the event and the hospitality extended to the foreign delegates. He said the Japanese government was ready to extend financial assistance to the Pakistani government for restoration and preservation of Buddhist sites.

Chief Monk of Thailand Phrathe Pankanvee said he was amazed to note the excellent preservation and restoration of the ancient Buddhist sites in Pakistan. He said 90 per cent of the Thai citizens were Buddhists and considered Pakistan their second home.