On July 7, 2026, the Dhammachai International Research Institute (DIRI), New Zealand, and The Ancient India and Iran Trust (AIIT), United Kingdom, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support the Dictionary of Buddhist Sogdian Project.
This signing ceremony was held on the auspicious occasion of the 4th anniversary merit -making ceremony for the late Phra Suthamyanavidesa, Vi. (Sutham Sudhammo), the founding Executive Chairman of DIRI, who played a vital role in laying the foundation and promoting international Buddhist research.
In alignment with green energy initiatives and to reduce environmental impact by minimizing international travel, the MoU was signed online by both organizations. Representing DIRI in Thailand was its President, Phra Maha Sudham Suratano (Pāli Studies Level 9, Ph.D.). Representing the AIIT in the United Kingdom was its Chairman, Professor Almut Hintze, alongside Professor Nicholas Sims-Williams, an AIIT executive board member and leading expert in the Sogdian language and historical documents, who served as a witness.
The Dictionary of Buddhist Sogdian Project is highly valuable project for Buddhism, Linguistic and Silk Road historical studies. Focusing on Buddhist Sogdian texts provides crucial evidence of the cultural and religious transmission between Buddhism and Chariness in early Central Asia. This project will be presented in three languages: Sogdian, English, and Chinese.
The project’s working group comprises world-leading scholars, including Professor Imre Galambos, an expert in Chinese Buddhist texts and Dunhuang manuscripts; Professor Nicholas Sims-Williams, a specialist in the Sogdian language and Iranian studies; and Professor Yutaka Yoshida, an expert in Sogdian Buddhism and the transcription of Chinese texts into the Sogdian script.
The Dictionary of Buddhist Sogdian will span approximately 600 pages, available in Hardback, e-Book, and Gold Open Access formats. It is planed for publication in partnership with Reichert Verlag (Wiesbaden, Germany) this work aims to serve the international academic community, offering invaluable insights for scholars, students, and general readers interested in Buddhism, linguistics, and the history of the Silk Road.
This corroboration marks another significant milestone for DIRI in establishing an international academic network and supporting the study of Buddhism through primary source evidence, ancient documents, and ancient language – key elements in promoting Buddhist research toward global recognition.
The Dhammachai International Research Institute (DIRI) wishes to express its sincere gratitude to The Ancient India and Iran Trust, Professor Almut Hintze, Professor Nicholas Sims-Williams, and all involved parties for their invaluable support of this significant academic collaboration.
