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he Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Sunday welcomed India’s initiative to revive the Nalanda University in Bihar, noting that the varsity was a great ancient centre of learning.

The heads of the ASEAN member states are deeply impressed with the sanctity and significance of the great ancient centre of learning in Nalanda that attracted many scholars from South, South-East and East Asia, read a joint press statement of the fourth East Asia Summit held in this Thai resort.

They noted that the Nalanda University was a great centre of intellectual activity in Buddhist philosophy, mathematics, medicine and other disciplince, the statement said.

Appreciating the contribution and recommendations of the members of the Nalanda mentor group, headed by Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, towards the establishment of the university, the statement called for appropriate funding arrangements on voluntary basis from governments and other sources including public-private partnership.

The joint statement also supported the idea of establishing the university as a non-state, non-profit, secular and self-governing international institution with a continental focus that will bring together the brightest and the most dedicated students from all countries of Asisa.

The university will enable its students to acquire liberal and human education and give them the means needed for pursuit of intellectual, philosophical, historical and spiritual studies and thus achieve qualities of tolerance and accommodation, said the statement.