His Holiness the Dalai Lama to meet former Czech President Havel

Saturday, 28 November 2008, 6:42 p.m.

Prague: His Holiness the Dalai Lama will visit Prague, the capital of Czech Republic at the invitation of former President Václav Havel and Forum2000 from 29 November to 1 December 2008.

During the visit, His Holiness will meet President Václav Havel and address the Tibet Group in the Czech Parliament on 1 December. His Holiness the Dalai Lama will give a public talk -‘Compassion: The Basis of Happiness’ on 30 November. The public talk’s tickets were sold out within two days in mid November. His Holiness’ public talk will be live webcast and visit www.forum200.cz for details.

Italian fencer Margherita Granbassi, who won a medal in Beijing Olympic, will present her fencing mask to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on 30 November in Prague. “I hope the same mask that protected me in Beijing will help him protect his people,” said Granbassi.

Former President Havel was the first head of state to extend an official invitation to His Holiness the Dalai Lama after becoming the first democratically elected President of Czechoslovak after the fall of Communism in November 1989. In February 1990, His Holiness the Dalai Lama visited Czechoslovak.

This is the seventh visit by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Czech Republic.

Press note: For interviews by phone, please call only during these timings listed below – Local Czech time.

29 November  – Saturday

After 09.30 hrs

30 November  – Sunday

07.30 – 09.00 hrs

12.00 to 13.00 hrs     

After 05.00 hrs

1 December  – Monday

07.30 – 09.00 hrs

12.00 to 13.00 hrs     

After 05.00 hrs

2 December  – Tuesday

After 10.30 hrs        

Carlo IV. Boscolo Luxury Hotel Senovazne namesti 991/1311000 Praha, Czech RepublicTel: +420 224 593 111Fax: +420 224 593 00

Press contact: Tseten Samdup Chhoekyapa’s mobile: +420 607 505 722

Tseten Samdup Chhoekyapa is Representative of H. H. the Dalai Lama in Geneva