Niihama: Tibet House Japan organised Photo Exhibitions and Talk events for two days on 30 and 31 May at Hagyuji Temple in Ehimeken, Shikoku Island. The local H.H. the Dalai Lama’s 90th Birthday Day Celebration Committee and Ehimeken Buddhist Association supported the event.

Around 48 photo panels, depicting the life and struggle of H.H. the Dalai Lama, created by The Tibet Museum of the Central Tibetan Administration, were displayed in the Monastery’s hall, and talks were organised in the conference hall. More than a hundred people from the town visited the photo exhibitions. People from neighbouring cities such as Kochi and Matsuyama also visited the exhibitions and attended the talks.

Ishihara, a member of the Hagyuji Temple, moderated the talk and exhibitions. He introduced the significance of the event and briefly introduced H.H. the Dalai Lama and his work and contribution toward world peace and religious harmony.

Rev. Saito Ugen, Chief Abbot of the Hagyuji Temple, in his opening speech, welcomed the audience and talked about his association with H.H. the Dalai Lama and his teachings. He prayed that the exhibitions and the talk on His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s life would help inspire love, compassion, and non-violence and peace around the world. H.H. the Dalai Lama has visited the Hagyuji Temple earlier in November 2009, and the people’s memory are still fresh about H.H. the Dalai Lama’s visit and teachings. The current event provided a happy reminder for many who attended H.H. the Dalai Lama’s teachings in the town earlier.

Dr. Tsewang Gyalpo Arya of the Liaison Office of H.H. the Dalai Lama for Japan and East Asia thanked Hagyuji Temple, the Birthday Committee, and the Ehime Buddhist Association for supporting the events and making it possible to reach H.H. the Dalai Lama’s message of peace and compassion to a wider audience in the Island. He briefed the audience on the four missions of H.H. the Dalai Lama, i.e., promotion of human value; promotion of religious harmony; preservation of Tibetan culture; and revival of the ancient Indian Nalanda tradition of Buddhist philosophy and science. He further conveyed how His Holiness has on several occasions said that Japan, with its already highly material and scientific development, should also explore Buddhist science of mind with equal zeal. This will help Japan achieve material and spiritual balance and make a positive contribution in promoting world peace and stability.

Tibet House Japan’s staff Tselha, who accompanied Representative Arya, distributed Japanese translation of the books by H.H. the Dalai Lama and information brochures on the office and the Tibet issue. Information on the forthcoming Tibet Festival at Kochi and Exhibition at Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Okayama was also shared with the visitors.

The visitors and audience at the photo exhibitions and the talk expressed great satisfaction to hear that the Year of Compassion is observed in Japan with the plantation of Sakura flower trees and photo exhibitions with overwhelming participations from Japanese monasteries, offices, Jinjas, establishment, and private individuals.

At the closing event, Representative Dr. Arya thanked Rev. Saito Ugyen and Mr. Ishihara for their help and cooperation in organizing the photo exhibitions and the talk events and presented Tibetan khatas, scarves, to them amidst loud applause. The event was covered by the local TV station and broadcasted in the evening prime time.

-Report filed by Office of Tibet, Japan