The Friends of the Western Buddhist Order was founded in 1967 in London. Since then, Centres have been established in towns and cities in countries all over the world.

The FWBO is a new Buddhist movement which seeks to express the teaching and practice of Buddhism in ways appropriate to conditions in modern, westernised societies, whilst at the same time staying rooted in the unchanging and universal truths of Buddhism. Its founder and principle teacher is Sangharakshita.