The EBU council

Stefano Davide Bettera is Italian. He was elected EBU President of the European Buddhist Union in 2023, having served as a Vice President from 2017 to 2023. He is a philosopher, writer and journalist, as well as an author of academic publications and involved teaching and publishing. He is a member of the board of the Italian Buddhist Union and editor in chief of ‘Buddhismo’ magazine and the ‘Gate’ online magazine. He is a member of the Scientific Committee of the Mimesis Philosophy Festival. For more information : www.stefanobettera.com

Munisha is British and lives in Sweden. Ordained a member of the Triratna Buddhist Order in 2003, she teaches at Triratna’s Stockholm centre.

From 2016 to 2023 she pioneered the introduction of Safeguarding policies and procedures and ethical standards within the worldwide Triratna movement, subsequently bringing her experience in this work to the work of the EBU’s Ethics Committee.

She specialises in writing and editing educational materials for Buddhism in the classroom.

Carlo is Belgian and has a long history of involvement in European affairs. A past president of the Belgian Buddhist Union, he currently serves as the EBU’s Liaison Officer to the European Union, and takes part in the ‘Article 17’ dialogue between European institutions and religious and philosophical organisations. He is active in work on human rights and freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) within and outside the EU and looks after relations with organisations such as the representation of HH the Dalai Lama in Europe and the International Campaign for Tibet.

Michael Ritman is Dutch. A past president of the Buddhist Union of the Netherlands (BUN), he has served as EBU treasurer and secretary 2020, which includes the careful management of grants, including those from the Italian Buddhist Union and from the European Commission on behalf of the European Union. After a career in business management he works as an entrepreneur and business mediator.

Roxanna is British and has been involved with London Fo Guang Shan since the age of 7. She now serves as Executive Secretary of Fo Guang Shan Europe and is Sumati Lecturer of Buddha’s Light International Association Young Adult Division. She’s actively involved in FGS education programmes and translation work and organises events for young Buddhists across Europe.

Jake is British, lives near London and is a teacher with the Western Chan Fellowship, UK. Having retired from work as a clinical psychologist and clinical researcher in the UK National Health Service, he has a particular concern for the environment and takes a lead role in the EBU’s Ecodharma project.

Carlotta is Italian, a student of Lama Gangchen Rimpoche since 1995. She has a professional background in international relations, having worked with the United Nations until 2012. Since 2018 she has served on the executive committee and Board of directors of Kunpen Lama Gangchen, an international Buddhist organisation and member organisation of the EBU dedicated to promoting peace, compassion and interfaith dialogue.