Media Release – 5 February 2015
Geneva, 05.02.2015 – His Holiness the Dalai Lama will arrive in Basel, Switzerland on 6 February 2015 for Buddhist teachings, an initiation and a public talk at the invitation of the Tibetan Community Switzerland & Liechtenstein. His Holiness will also meet the cabinet of the Government of Canton (State) of Basel-City for a luncheon.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama will arrive in Switzerland on the morning of 6 February 2015, after attending the annual National Prayer Breakfast, hosted by members of the United States Congress in Washington D.C. on 5 February 2015.
At the invitation of the Tibetan Community Switzerland & Liechtenstein, one of the oldest and biggest Tibetan community in Europe, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will give a one-day Buddhist teaching based on Nagarjuna’s Commentary on Bodhichitta and Geshe Langri Thangpa’s Eight Verses of Training the Mind on Saturday, 7 February 2015. His Holiness will also confer the Avalokiteshvara Empowerment on Sunday morning, 8 February 2015. In the afternoon, His Holiness will deliver a public talk on Secular Ethics for Today’s World. The President of the Government of Canton of Basel-City, Dr. Guy Morin, will deliver an official welcome address from the Canton at the beginning of the public talk. All the public events will be held at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel and attended by 7’500 people. Several side events will be offering insights to Tibetan culture, Buddhist philosophy and the Tibet question.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama will graciously address the Tibetan community separately on Sunday following the public talk. The organizers are expecting around 7’300 Tibetans from Switzerland and neighboring countries for the audience. The Folklore-Ensemble as well as children of Tibetan schools of the Tibetan Community Switzerland & Liechtenstein will offer songs to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
On Saturday, 7 February 2015, the Government of the Canton of Basel-City has invited His Holiness the Dalai Lama for a luncheon. All members of the cabinet will be present at the lunch.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama will leave Switzerland for Trondheim, Norway on Monday, 9 February 2015.
This is His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 25th visit to Switzerland, after visiting the country for the first time in 1974.
Overview:
6 February: Arrival in Basel, Switzerland
7 February: 1 Day Buddhist Teaching, Lunch with Government of Basel-City
8 February: Avalokiteshvara Empowerment, Public Talk, Audience for Tibetans
9 February: Departure for Trondheim, Norway
Website of the event: www.dalailama2015.ch
Contact:
Mr. Ngodup Dorjee, Representative of H. H. the Dalai Lama The Tibet Bureau, Geneva Tel: +41 79 951 45 19 // Email: [email protected] Morning 7 – 8 am & Evening 6 – 8 pm CET (except Sunday: 6 – 7 am)