Kyoto: As part of events to celebrate the Year of Compassion and the 90th birthday of H.H. the Dalai Lama, Tibet House Japan and the Earth Caravan organised photo exhibitions and a talk event on the life and missions of H.H. the Dalai Lama at Danno-Horinji Temple in Kyoto city, the cultural capital of Japan, on 7 June.

Despite the rain, many people visited the photo exhibitions and attended the talk at the Temple’s main hall. Rev. Endo Ryukyu of the Earth Caravan and the Flame of Hope, the co-organiser, welcomed the audience at the talk event and introduced the Representative Dr. Tsewang Gyalpo Arya to the audience. He talked about the mission of the Flame of Hope to promote peace and understanding around the world, and how members of the organisation met H.H. the Dalai Lama in Bodhgaya in the winter of 2022 and received blessings and inspiration to further their peace mission.

Representative Dr. Tsewang Gyalpo Arya thanked the Danno-Horinji Temple and the Flame of Hope members for their support and cooperation in making the exhibitions and talk events possible at the Temple in Kyoto city. Talking about the Tibet issue in general, Representative Arya spoke on the four missions of H.H. the Dalai Lama, i.e., the promotion of human value, promotion of religious harmony, preservation of Tibetan culture and the revival of the Indian Nalanda Buddhist philosophy and science. He emphasised H.H. the Dalai Lama’s teaching about the importance of realising peace within every individual first to be able to contribute and promote peace at a broader level, from the family to the neighborhood level and to the world at large.

The audience greatly appreciated the photo exhibitions and expressed delight in hearing the four missions of H.H. the Dalai Lama and his efforts for realising world peace and stability. The audience thanked the organisers for receiving precious reading materials like “The Dalai Lama’s Message of Peace” and on his four missions and information on the Office of Tibet in Japan.

Rev. Shigahara Gabun, Chief Abbot of the Temple, greeted Representative Arya and the team and expressed his pleasure to be associated with the promotion of H.H. the Dalai Lama’s message for peace and compassion. Representative Arya thanked the abbot and offered a Tibetan khata, an auspicious scarf, to the abbot.

Mr. Gosuke Onoda of the Temple, who had earlier met and received teachings from H.H. the Dalai Lama, said that the event came as a great epiphany, and he felt very satisfied to be able to work with the Tibet House in spreading H.H. the Dalai Lama’s teachings to the people of Kyoto.

Among the audience were monks, professors, lecturers, university students, and the general public. Tselha, a staff member of the Tibet House Japan, accompanied Representative Arya to Kyoto.

-Report Filed by Office of Tibet, Japan