澳大利亚priestdale中天寺喜获洛根市最高多元文化奖

据《albert and logan news》报道，2009年5月26日，在澳大利亚洛根娱乐中心举办的年度盛会——第三届洛根市民族组织颁奖典礼上，澳大利亚洛根市priestdale中天寺因其杰出的社区工作被授予洛根市最高多元文化奖项——洛根市年度民族组织。同样获得此奖项的还有伊斯兰、毛利、阿拉伯叙利亚和印度支那组织。

市场营销总监拉尔夫.史密斯表示，该寺院团体和其1100多名信众都很高兴能够获奖。这个奖项认可了寺院的贡献。澳大利亚洛根市priestdale中天寺不仅通过青年团体团结不同社区，还到医院和老人院探望病人和老人，推广送爱心服务，举办各种诸如佛诞日之类的大规模庆典活动。该寺院所做的已经超出了一般寺院所做的，体现了真正的佛教精神。

洛根市长帕姆.帕克表示，这个奖项是对社区杰出社团工作的奖励，各团体的持续努力工作为整个城市的发展做出了他们的贡献。

据悉，澳大利亚洛根市priestdale中天寺作为佛光山丛林的下属寺院，于1992年被建，寺院是具有中国古代传统寺院风格的建筑，占地90公顷，其中包括博物馆、佛教学校、图书馆和一座七层宝塔。每年大约有10000多名学生来到这里做宗教和文化参访。而该寺院的中天佛教学校也有700多名半日制学生在这里学习普通话、佛法和中国文化。

在5月26日的颁奖典礼上，该寺院还同时获得了教育奖项。（编译：子规）

PRIESTDALE’S Chung Tian Temple has picked up Logan City’s highest multicultural award for its outstanding community work.

The Buddhist temple was named Logan City’s Ethnic Organisation of the Year during a gala event at the Logan Entertainment Centre last Tuesday.

Marketing director Ralph Smith said the temple community, which includes more than 1100 regular devotees, was “ecstatic’’ about the win.

He said the award recognised the temple’s ability to unite diverse communities through youth groups, outreach services including hospital and aged care home visits, and large-scale events such as the annual Buddha Birth Day Festival.

“The temple has gone beyond the temple walls to show the true spirit of Buddhism,’’ Mr Smith said.

The third annual Logan Ethnic Organisation Awards ceremony also recognised Islamic, Maori, Syrian Arab, and Indo-Chinese organisations.

Logan Mayor Pam Parker said the awards rewarded the group’s “extraordinary’’ community work.

“Logan is truly a better place for the hard work and continued efforts these groups make in their contribution to the city’s development,’’ Cr Parker said.

Mr Smith said the Chung Tian (Middle Heaven) Temple, a member of the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Order, was built using traditional Chinese Buddhist architecture in 1992.
The 90ha bushland location at Priestdale houses a museum, Buddhist school, library and seven-level Pagoda.

More than 10,000 school students visit the temple on religious and cultural tours each year and the temple’s Chung Tian Buddhist School caters for 700 part-time students who study Mandarin, Buddhism and Chinese culture.

The temple also picked up the education accolade during last Tuesday’s awards ceremony.