KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Maitreya Monastery & Soul Therapy Retreat Center will host a special awards ceremony from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct.23.

The event is by invitation only.

Dignitaries from Nepal’s Ministry of Culture will present His Holiness Buddha Maitreya, founder of the center, with a plaque of appreciation in recognition of almost 20 years of charitable work in Nepal.

In addition, a representative of the UNESCO World Heritage Sacred Site of Lumbini, birthplace of Buddha and one of the holiest places of one of the world’s great religions, will present Buddha Maitreya with a land grant to build an American Buddhist monastery there.

The monastery in Lumbini will be identical to the Maitreya Monastery in Lake County, which is a living example of sustainable principles including green building technologies, wind turbines, electric vehicles and even Tibetan yaks.

The monastery is designed by Buddha Maitreya with sacred geomancy where the energy of the soul can be collected, stored and placed into the Earth so that the Earth radiates more love, kindness, humanity and less war.

Buddha Maitreya has supported the renewal and restoration of sacred sites across Nepal as well as India and Tibet: rebuilding Tibetan monasteries in Dema and Litang, Tibet; constructing new Prayer halls at several Khamtsen colleges within Drepung Loseling Buddhist University, India and establishing The Great Namgyal Stupa for all Tibetan refugees within H.H. Dalai Lama’s Residence in Dharamsala.

In addition, Buddha Maitreya is renowned for his support of the practical daily needs of Tibetan Buddhist Monasteries with a focus on improving the basics: diet, clothing and shelter. Most recently, he has also established a network of free medical clinics within Nepal. They are located in the cities of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and at Chaimale village serving the rural outlying areas.

Buddha Maitreya teaches about the soul and how to develop soulful qualities in everyday life and the happiness that brings. His teaching is all inclusive, concerned with self-realization, collective evolution and planetary healing. Incarnations of Maitreya have appeared throughout history, including during the time of Krishna and Buddha.

Mr. Modraj Dotel, secretary to the Minister of Culture, will present the plaque of appreciation and Archarya Karma Sangbo, monk and vice-chairman of the Lumbini Development Trust, will offer the Lumbini land grant.

His Holiness Buddha Maitreya is the founder and president of The Buddhist Association of North America, an unincorporated nonprofit registered in the State of California and established to represent American Buddhism at Lumbini, Nepal.

The center is located at 9977 Bottle Rock Road, Kelseyville.