Geshe Lhakdor Concludes Speaking Tour of South AmericaSunday, 4 October 2009, 2:23 p.m.
New York: Geshe
Lhakdor, Director of the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives,
successfully concluded a three week speaking tour to Brazil, Colombia
and Mexico in Latin America. The tour was organised by the
Central Tibetan Administration’s Liaison Officer to Latin America,
Tsewang Phuntso, in collaboration with the Federal University of Sao
Paulo, Palas Athena Association in Sao Paulo, Yamantaka FPMT Center in
Colombia, Casa Tibet Mexico as well as the State Council for the
Promotion of Values and Culture of Lawfulness, State Government of
Neuvo Leon, Mexico. During his weeklong stay in Sao Paulo
City, Brazil, from 11 – 17 September, Geshe Lhakdor addressed the
students and faculty members of the University of Sao Paulo on “Science
and Spirituality: Convergence towards a New Space of Knowledge”.
Hundreds of students, faculty members and others interested in the
subject packed the UNIFESP’s Auditorium-A. The talk was opened by Dean
Dr. Walter Manna Albertoni, who also released a set of DVDs on His
Holiness the Dalai Lama’s visit to Brazil in April 2006. Geshe
Lhakdor also had a very productive meeting with the concerned
department heads of the Federal University of Sao Paulo regarding the
establishment of a formal collaborative work between the university and
the Library of Tibetan Works and Archive. Earlier, the University has
signed a formal agreement with Dharamsala-based Tibetan Medical
Institute to engage in Educational-Scientific Collaboration between the
two institutes.He also gave a separate lecture to the doctors of the well-known Institute of Heart known as INCOR. Apart
from the talks, Geshe Lhakdor conducted an advance retreat on
“Self-Conscience, Compassion and Self-determination” in Itapecerica da
Serra in the outskirts of Sao Paulo City. The retreat was attended by
those who had been practicing completive meditation for several years. From
Sao Paulo, Geshe Lhakdor left for Bogota, the capital of Colombia.
During his stay in Bogota from 18 to 21 September, Geshe Lhador gave
two consecutive lectures at the Rosario University, which were
web-casted live to 20 universities in Colombia. In the first lecture,
Geshe Lhakdor shared His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s views on the
convergence of Science and Spirituality, and in the second lecture, he
spoke on “Working with Emotion”. The lectures were well received by
the students as well as faculty members of the university. He also gave separate teachings and talks at the Yamataka Buddhist Center. The
last leg of Geshe Lhakdor’s speaking tour brought him to Monterrey, an
important industrial city located on the north side of Mexico. In
Monterrey, he participated in the three-day “National Conference on
Values and Culture of Lawfulness” organized by the State Council for
the Promotion of Values and Culture of Lawfulness, State Government of
Nuevo Leon, Mexico. The conference was held from 24 to 26 September
2009 and was inaugurated by Nobel Peace Laureate Jody Williams. At the
conference, Geshe Lhakdor participated in the panel discussion on
“Peace and Reconciliation” with the Colombian scholar and activist P.
Leonel Narvaez. Apart from participating in the conference, Geshe Lhakdor also gave an advance retreat on the six paramitas. Before
departing for India on 30 September, Geshe Lhakdor gave two exclusive
lectures on “The Art of Forgiveness” and “Wisdom and Compassion: A
Source of Meaningful Life” at the Casa Tibet Mexico in Mexico City on
28 and 29 September.
