The Tree of Life, a Feast of Peace
Reading books is beneficial! The 2003 Taipei International Book Exhibition, inaugurated by Formosa's President Chen Shui-bian, opened a new chapter in international cultural exchange, as over a thousand publishers from forty-seven countries participated in the greatest book fair ever conducted in Asia.
For the first time, the Exhibition's Spiritual Books Section was located at the Taipei International Convention Center, where diverse categories of soul-elevating publications about various religions and spiritual traditions were displayed. The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association Publishing Company participated in the event at the invitation of Formosa's Government Information Office and the ROC Publishing Development Fund.
Master's exhibition booth was decorated in a highly elegant pastel purple that emanated an atmosphere of warmth and peace. The main features were a multifunctional display platform and a golden "Tree of Life," symbolizing eternity and peace, and attracting many local and foreign visitors who made enquiries and expressed their hopes for world peace. Among the wide variety of publications on display, the most eye-catching was the newly released God's Direct Contact - the Way to Reach Peace. This new volume carries an important message at a time when people around the world are deeply concerned about the Middle East situation.
Upon receiving a copy of God's Direct Contact - the Way to Reach Peace as a gift, Mr. Dale H. Hoiberg, President and Chief Editor of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, expressed his sincere gratitude to Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her contributions to humankind. In addition, Miss. Kaoru Iwata, Business Director of the Tokyo International Book Exhibition, said that only after her visit to the Taipei Exhibition's Spiritual Books Section did she realize that there were so many spiritual practitioners in Formosa. She then said that upon her return to Japan she would consider planning a soul-elevation section at the Tokyo Exhibition to encourage the Japanese people to explore the spiritual world.
Elevating Body, Mind and Spirit through Truth, Virtue and Beauty
