Ayya Santacitta and Jill Boone attended the 2013 Sakyadhita International Conference of Buddhist Women, in Vaishali in Northern India and presented a paper and a workshop. The Bhikkhuni Order was first established by the Buddha in Vaishali, when he invited his step mother Mahapajapati Gotami into the order along with 500 dedicated women, about 6 years after his enlightenment.
Following the conference Ayya Santacitta and Jill made a pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya – the place of the Buddha’s enlightenment.