Last month saw Val Stephenson retire as Chair of the NBO, to be replaced by Juliet Hackney (to right of picture).
Val, a member of Soka Gakkai-UK writes,
“I have thoroughly enjoyed being Chair of the NBO for the last couple of years. Chairing and working in the NBO is a unique opportunity. The NBO Chair is very much a ‘first among equals’ and I believe this is one of the NBO’s great strengths. It means always working openly and towards consensus, where every voice is heard equally. It also means there is a knowledgeable and experienced pool of committee members from which the next Chair can arise. I remain a trustee of the NBO: much has been achieved but there is always more to be done and I am very proud play my part.
I am really happy to be ‘passing the baton’ to Juliet. Having been a member of the NBO committee and represented the Western Chan Fellowship (WCF) at the European Buddhist Union over recent years, she is already well known to a number of Buddhists working for the general good of Buddhism in Britain and the rest of Europe.”
Juliet writes:
“I am very happy to be involved with the NBO and grateful to be given the opportunity to act as its Chair.
Being introduced to the NBO as the representative for the Western Chan Fellowship actually changed my understanding of what it means to be Buddhist: I sat together with a group of people whose aim was to offer a Buddhist perspective across a range of spheres in our society including education, interfaith and health chaplaincy and to help bring Buddhists together to promote understanding and harmony. This shared goal broadened my perspective and helped me bring Buddhist understanding into all parts of my life, not just for my own benefit but for the benefit of all.
I am grateful to Val for her work and commitment to NBO and echo her sentiments. I hope to follow her example in this role.”
