Men-Tsee-Khang and UNIFESP Sign Agreement to Promote and Develop Educational-Scientific Cooperation[Monday, 17 August 2009, 10:43 a.m.]
Sao Paulo, Brazil: The Dharamsala-based Men-Tsee-Khang (Tibetan Medical and Astrology Institute of His Holiness the Dalai Lama) and the Sao Paulo-based Federal University of Sao Paulo (UNIFESP) have recently signed an important, formal agreement to promote and develop educational-scientific cooperation in matters of reciprocal interest to the two institutions. The agreement was signed by Chancellor Prof. Dr. Walter Manna Albertoni on behalf of the Federal University of Sao Paulo—UNIFESP and Dr Dawa, Director of the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute of His Holiness the Dalai Lama—Men Tsee Khang. This is one of the first such agreements the Men-Tsee-Khang has formally signed with the internationally recognized academic institution. Under the agreement, the two institutions will promote and foster exchange of faculties, researchers, and under-graduate and graduate students; carry out joint educational-scientific programs or work; cooperate in planning and conducting research of reciprocal interest; and jointly publish the results achieved in consequence of the activities. This joint initiative between the UNIFESP and Men-Tsee-Khang was initially launched during the visit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Brazil in April 2006, during which the UNIFESP in collaboration with the Sao Paulo-based Palas Athena Association organized two public lectures of His Holiness on ‘Wisdom and Compassion’ and ‘Science and Spirituality’. During the visit, an initial letter of intent was signed between the then Chancellor of the UNIFESP, Dr. Ulysses Fagundes Neto, and Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the Americas, Mr.Tashi Wangdi. Since the signing of the letter of intent, the TGIE’s Liaison Officer for Latin America, Tsewang Phuntso, organized the visit of Dr. Elisa Kozasa (a researcher at the UNIFESP who has taken special interest in the project) to Dharamsala to facilitate direct interaction with the officials of Men-Tsee-Khang. Similarly, Dr. Pema Dorji and Dr. Namgyal from Men-Tsee-Khang were separately invited to visit UNIFESP in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 2007 and 2008 to conduct an introductory course on Tibetan Medicine to the faculties, researchers and post-graduate students. –Report filed by the Office of Tibet, New York
