His Holiness Inaugurates Tibetan Canadian Cultural Centre in Toronto[Sunday, 24 October 2010, 10:07 a.m.]

Toronto, Ontario:
His Holiness the Dalai Lama inaugurated the Tibetan Canadian Cultural
Centre in Toronto during the second of his visit on Saturday. On
his arrival at the Centre members of the Tibetan community and invited
guests gave him a ceremonial welcome. The guests included Senator
Consiglio DiNino (who was also at the Rogers Centre to receive His
Holiness on October 22), Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and
leader of opposition Michael Grant Ignatieff, other MPs and city
councilors, Toronto Mayor David Miller,  as well as friends and
supporters of the Center.The programme began with the singing
of the Tibetan and the Canadian national anthems as the Tibetan
community’s band provided the music. There were screening of a
documentary on the Centre and the performances of excerpts from dance
and opera by Tibetan children.Senator DiNino conveyed the
greetings of the Canadian Prime Minister and said that the dream of the
Tibetan community for the centre was now becoming a reality. He
referred to the Centre as a wonderful expression of Canadianism. He
said the Tibetan contribute help Canada promote peace, harmony and
compassion. The Senator recognised Member of Ontario Provincial
Parliament, Cheri DiNovo, who is leading the Ontario Parliamentary
Friends of Tibet. Senator DiNino himself heads the Parliamentary
Friends of Tibet in the Canadian National Parliament.The
Senator concluded that the wind of awakening is blowing in China and
the same is happening in Canada. He said the dialogue between the
Tibetans and the Chinese will bear fruit.Liberal leader Michael
Ignatieff, in his remarks, offered his warm and affectionate greetings.
He recognised Mr. Gerard Kennedy, who represents Parkdale area in
Toronto (that has a sizable Tibetan population) in the Parliament. Mr.
Ignatieff acknowledged the contribution of the Tibetan Canadian’s
contribution to the culture and spiritual life of Canada.  He expressed
his appreciation, on behalf of all Canadians, of His Holiness’s
tenacity, courage, human warmth, smile, and sense of humor, which he
said was an inspiration to all Canadians.Toronto Mayor David
Miller officially welcomed His Holiness back to the city and also
recognised the Deputy Mayor and several city councilors who were
present at the ceremony.  He then presented His Holiness with the Key
to the City for being a true friend of the city of Toronto.Kalon
Tripa Samdhong Rinpoche offered the gratitude of the Central Tibetan
Administration to the people and the government of Canada and said
Canada is a genuine multicultural nation.  He said the dream of the
Tibetan community was becoming a reality on account of the support of
people like Senator DiNino and others and urged them to continue their
support.In his remarks, His Holiness expressed his gratitude to
the Canadian Government, federal, provincial and local, for supporting
the Tibetan people for a long time. He added that when help comes to
people at a time when they are passing through a difficult period, it
is precious.  He said that we will never forget the assistance.  His
Holiness said supporters of Tibet are not necessarily pro-Tibet but
pro-justice.His Holiness talked about the effort of the Tibetan
people in exile to preserve the Tibetan Buddhist culture, which is
essentially a culture of peace and nonviolence.  He said in Tibet the
situation is difficult and if it continues in that manner there is a
danger that Tibetan culture may not survive.  He said that although the
spirit of the Tibetans in Tibet was strong, without freedom, it would
be difficult to preserve the culture.His Holiness suggested
that the Centre in Toronto can be useful in undertaking activities that
promoted religious harmony and human values.  He also talked about his
ongoing dialogue with scientists and thought that the Centre could also
be a place where there could be exchanges between scholars.His
Holiness concluded by thanking the Toronto Mayor for the Key to the
City adding that by giving the key to him, His Holiness took it to mean
that he should be opening his mind to study Canada’s economic,
political and other situations.Following lunch, His Holiness
first met with editors of the Toronto Star who have requested him to be
the guest editor of their edition for October 24, 2010. His Holiness
chose the cover page from the choices presented to him and also
answered some questions collected from the readers.  His Holiness gave
his view on the plight of the displaced people and also on some of the
reasons why he believes in reincarnation.His Holiness then had
a brief discussion with representatives of various faiths in the
Toronto area.  His Holiness thereafter met with some members of the
Canadian Parliamentary Friends of Tibet and discussed with them issues
relating to the Tibetan issue and the role that the parliamentarian
friends could play.His Holiness then addressed the Tibetan
community. He spoke about the importance of preserving the traditional
Tibetan values of goodness that have endeared the Tibetan people to the
rest of the world.  He said that there was a risk of this degenerating.He
also emphasized the importance of being a 21st century Buddhist and
really understanding its tenets.  His Holiness related his own
commitments at promotion of religious harmony and human values and how
there is a new interest in Buddhism among scientists. He mentioned the
research being undertaken by scientists in the University of Wisconsin
in Madison, Stanford University and Emory University.His
Holiness addressed the clergy by saying that they should really be
sincere and honest in their propagation of Buddhism and not to become
fake lamas. He said he has even heard reports from Tibet about how some
Tibetans were posing as Dharma Raja (religious king) and duping the
Chinese believers.Following the Tibetan audience, His Holiness
returned to the hotel where he first gave a brief interview to
Fairchild TV, a Chinese language TV program in Canada.Thereafter,
His Holiness addressed the participants of a dialogue between members
of the Chinese and Tibetan communities under the theme “Compassion and
Respect.” Ms. Gloria Fung and Mr. Norbu Tsering made initial remarks on
behalf of the Chinese and Tibetan communities respectively.  They said
that this conference was a follow up to a previous similar conference
held in Vancouver, BC to enhance mutual understanding to promote a fair
resolution of the Tibetan problem. Thereafter, His Holiness addressed
the gathering of around 200 Chinese.Thereafter, Senator Consiglio DiNino spoke and said that this was an incredible wonderful event and symbolizes Canada.His
Holiness then addressed the gathering.  He told the Chinese about his
three commitments of promoting religious harmony, human values and
resolution of the Tibetan problem.  He talked about his support for
President Hu Jintao’s harmonious society but said that this has to come
about through trust and equality.He talked about the Chinese
propaganda and the blockage of news in China and the censorship. 
Therefore, he said that people to people contact between Chinese and
the Tibetans was important as this can help in resolving the Tibetan
problem.His Holiness talked about his efforts to  reach out to
Chinese people since 30 or 40 years ago but did not receive much of a 
response until after the Tiananmen crisis.  He added that after the
2008 crisis in Tibet more and more Chinese have started paying
attention to the Tibetan issue and there have been over 1,000 articles
by Chinese writers since then that supported the Tibetan efforts.His
Holiness said as the gathering had heard from his Special Envoy Lodi
Gyari about the Tibetan dialogue process earlier in the day, he had
nothing more to add on this.  He explained his Middle Way Approach and
how some Tibetans, including his brother Taktser Rinpoche and others,
have been critical of his approach. His Holiness explained why it was
in the Tibetan interest not to seek separation from the People’s
Republic of China.His Holiness mentioned the Tibetan
democratisation process and how there is now an elected political
leadership since 2001. He mentioned his status as being semi-retired
and that he was looking forward to total retirement.His
Holiness then invited the gathering to ask him questions.  In response
to a query on when he would be retiring fully, His Holiness said the
people should wait for some months and they would have some clarity on
this. His Holiness clarified that even if he was fully retired he would
continue to work on his two commitments of promoting human values and
religious harmony.  In response to when he would be visiting Tibet, His
Holiness talked about his efforts at visiting Tibet as well as going on
pilgrimage in China from around 1983 and not having received any
positive response. He said that going by the current attitude of the
United Front it is was from their attitude to level the charge of
fighting for Tibetan independence on him, despite the whole world
knowing he was not seeking separation, that they did not want to allow
him to visit China.  His Holiness said the answer to when he would
visit Tibet lay with the Chinese Government.In response to a
question on the relationship between the Dalai Lama and the Central
Tibetan Administration, His Holiness first said that we call it the
Central Tibetan Administration. He said the direct election by the
Tibetans of the political leadership since 2001 indicated the end of
the Dalai Lama being a political head.  He also said that he was for
complete separation of church and state. He also said if he may say
something, he thought there needs to be separation between the
Communist Party and the Chinese Government.His Holiness also
said China seemed to be feeling insecure and having trust deficit in
its relations with other countries, be it Japan, India or the West.
Referring to the official attitude to Liu Xiaobo, His Holiness said
there is no need for China to feel that one individual can topple the
government. He said during the Iraq wars thousands of people marched in
the United Kingdom, the United States and other countries. They were
allowed to exercise their freedom of expression.His Holiness
said that when he talked about the Chinese Communist Party needing to
change he was not saying there needs to be overnight democratization. 
China is a vast country, its economic and other conditions, including
the fact that many people are uneducated and economically not well off
meant that they would not be able to democratize all at once.  His
Holiness said that just as he was retiring gradually, he felt that the
Chinese Communist Party could also change gradually, with respect.As
His Holiness left the venue, many of the Chinese present wanted to
speak to him personally and to acknowledge him.  Among the media
representatives covering this session was a correspondent of China’s
official news agency, Xinhua.On 24 October, the Tibetan
community is offering Tenshug (long life offering) to His Holiness.  He
will also be giving a teaching on the eight verses of Training the Mind
by Geshe Langri Thangpa. [Report filed by Bhuchung K Tsering]