Press Release: His Holiness the Dalai Lama to visit Kolkata, Italy, Darjeeling, Delhi, Miao, Tezu and Itanagar
His Holiness the Dalai Lama is scheduled to depart Dharamsala on November 22nd for an extended visit to Kolkata, Italy, Darjeeling, Delhi, Miao, Tezu & Itanagar.
His Holiness arrives in Kolkata on November 23rd. On the morning of November 24th His Holiness will participate in the Inauguration of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Department of Indo-Tibetan Studies, Visva-Bharati University, Shantiniketan. As part of the Inauguration, a Dialogue on The Concept of Suffering in Buddhism is also being held. Swami Prabhananda-ji Maharaj, Secretary of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Kolkata, H.E. Mr. Lyonpodago Tshering, Honorable Ambassador of Bhutan, Dr. S.K. Somaiya, Chairman, K.J. Somaiya Center of Buddhist Studies and Ven. Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche, Kalon Tripa will also participate in the Celebrations. His Holiness departs Kolkata on November 24th.
His Holiness arrives in Rome, Italy on November 25 at the invitation of the Gorbachev Foundation and the Italian Parliamentary Group for Tibet. On November 26th His Holiness will visit the Italian Parliament and will be meeting with members of the Italian Parliamentary Group for Tibet, which was established in 2002 with a membership of 90 Parliamentarians representing all the major parties in both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. Later in the day, His Holiness will give a public talk on the Path to Freedom. On November 27th, His Holiness is scheduled to meet with Pope John Paul II. This will be their 7th meeting. On November 28th, His Holiness will be participating in the 4th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates being organized by the Gorbachev Foundation with the patronage of the City of Rome. His Holiness will address the Summit on the topic Ethics and Politics. His Holiness departs for India on November 29th.
On December 2nd, His Holiness will be arriving in Darjeeling at the invitation of the Dharma Chakra Committee, Darjeeling, comprising of all the Buddhist communities in the Darjeeling area. His Holiness is scheduled to give three days of teachings from December 3rd to 5th on Middle Stages of Meditation (gom-rim bar-pa), 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva (lak-len so-dun-pa) and Eight Verses of Training the Mind (lo-jong tsik-gya-ma). On the morning of December 5th His Holiness is also scheduled to confer the Chenresig Initiation. On December 6th morning His Holiness will confer a long life empowerment and also take part in a long life ceremony. A cultural program presented by the local communities in the afternoon will follow this. On December 7th, His Holiness will attend a reception in His honor hosted by the resident heads of different religious faiths and the Dharma Chakra Committee, Darjeeling. This will be followed by a talk to the officers, intellectuals, etc. of Darjeeling District. His Holiness departs for Delhi on December 8th.
On December 9th in Delhi, His Holiness addresses an International Summit on Towards A Culture of Harmony and Peace organized by the Delhi Peace Summit. On December 10th morning, His Holiness will be the Chief Guest at a function commemorating Human Right’s Day 2003 organized by the National Human Right’s Commission of India. Later in the afternoon, His Holiness will be the Chief Guest at the Communal Harmony Award Program organized by the Organization of Understanding and Fraternity. His Holiness departs for northeast India on December 11th.
His Holiness visits the Tibetan Settlement of Miao, Arunachal Pradesh on December 11th and 12th. On December 13th and 14th His Holiness visits the Tibetan Settlement of Tezu, Arunachal Pradesh. His Holiness is also expected to make brief stops at the Buddhists communities located in Tuting, Mechuka and Chowkham. His Holiness visits the state capital of Arunachal Pradesh, Itanagar, on December 15th and 16th. He is scheduled to give a teaching to the Buddhist community in Itanagar and also address the general public on December 16th. On December 17th His Holiness departs for Delhi and returns to Dharamsala on December 18th.
20 November, 2003
Contact:
Tenzin Taklha
Deputy Secretary
Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama
P.O. McLeod Ganj
Dharamsala HP 176219
India
Tel: [91-(0)1892] 221343/221879
Fax: [91-(0)1892] 221813
Email: [email protected]