from the Office of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III:
On January 19, 2011, three days after H. H. Dorje Chang Buddha III received the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Award for International Service and Leadership, Mayor Vincent Gray of Washington, DC, the capital city of the United States of America, officially proclaimed that January 19, 2011 as the “HIS HOLINESS DORJE CHANG BUDDHA III DAY” and called upon people to salute H. H. Dorje Chang Buddha III!
This is the great and supreme “HIS HOLINESS DORJE CHANG BUDDHA III DAY” and, therefore, is an extremely great honor to us Buddhists. Because this is the first government-promulgated day of the Buddha, this office made a decision that, starting from the year of 2012, on the day of January 19 of every year, all temples, Buddhist organizations, dharma-listening centers will first listen to a rare dharma lesson, and then hold a fish-release activity or a disaster-relief activity or a charitable activity, or organize programs of performance for congratulation. This is in celebration and observance of the His Holiness Dorje Chang Buddha III Day and for being respectful to the Buddha and to all Buddhas in the ten directions.
May this announcement be known to all!
From the Office of H. H. Dorje Chang Buddha III,
January 23, 2011