Indo-Asian News Service, Kathmandu - After Myanmar, Nepal now plans to host an international conference of Buddhists in Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha.

When Nepalese Finance Minister Bharat Mohan Adhikari Friday unveiled the NRS. 111 billion budget, he also pledged, apart from peace and development, support to host the "Second World Buddha Summit" in 2004-05 to promote Lumbini as a world tourist destination.

Over 300 million Buddhists worldwide venerate the holy city, located about 300 km west of Kathmandu in the Terai plains.

Japanese architect Kenzo Tange drew up a plan for developing Lumbini, complete with monasteries, museums, and a sacred garden around the exact spot where the Buddha was born in 623 BC.

A granite pillar erected in the Enlightened One's memory by Indian emperor Ashoka in 249 BC marks the site.

In 1998, the World Buddhist Summit was held there followed by the International Buddhist Conference.

Last year, Nepal's King Gyanendra reopened the restored a temple built to honour Maya Devi, the Buddha's mother, on the occasion of the birth anniversary of the Buddha.
Adhikari's budget gives priority to building a second international airport in Nepal and upgrading the Gautam Buddha Airport in Bhairahawa and the Pokhara Airport as SAARC region level airports.

The date for the summit in Lumbini is yet to be announced.

Nepal's decision comes after Myanmar announced it would host the Fourth World Buddhist Summit in December in capital city Yangon.

Buddhist organisations from 30 countries are expected at the three-day summit starting December 9. The Myanmar government and the Nenbutsushu Buddhist Sect of Japan are sponsoring the event.