Maitreya Project Update

May 2003

Following months of intensive research, planning, and discussions, on May 1, 2003, the State Government of Uttar Pradesh, India approved a Memorandum of Understanding between the State Government and Maitreya Project Trust.

This provides the basis for the Trust to establish itself at Kushinagar in eastern Uttar Pradesh. Kushinagar, where Lord Buddha passed away, is one of the most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India.

It will be several months before Maitreya Project will take possession of a site and a full announcement will be made at that time.

Information about further developments will be made available on the Maitreya Project website www.maitreyaproject.org from time to time.

We would like to emphasise that although the Maitreya statue will be located in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, the existing Maitreya Project school will remain and continue to develop in Bodhgaya and will not relocate.

The Maitreya Universal Education Project is a cornerstone of the Maitreya Project and is vital to our overall strategy to bring education, health, peace, and well-being to communities in northern India. It will be a model for other schools we intend to build, both in Bodhgaya, Bihar State and Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh State.