Dalai Lama is visiting the UK from 20 to 31 May 2008

By Bujender Sharma
Dharamshala: His Holiness the Dalai Lama is visiting the UK from 20 to 31 May 2008 at the invitation of the Dharma Network (formed of various Buddhist organisations in the UK), the Tibet Society UK, the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet, the Blackfriars and the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies to give a series of public talks and teachings in London, Nottingham and Oxford.

During the visit His Holiness will also be meeting with HRH The Prince of Wales, Prime Minister Gordon Brown, leaders of the opposition parties, Members of Parliament, and the Archbishop of Canterbury as well as leaders of other religious faiths.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is also being awarded an honorary doctorate by the London Metropolitan University on 20 May and will be taking questions at a 'Meeting with the Press' on the afternoon of 21 May.

Mr Tsering Tashi, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Office of Tibet in London, said, "His Holiness is not only the leader of the Tibetan people but also one of the worlds most highly regarded figures. We have also seen that even many Chinese people through better awareness and information show great respect to His Holiness and support his non-violent Middle-Way Approach to resolve the issue of Tibet. His Holiness' message of peace, non-violence and his unique qualities of simplicity, honesty and wisdom is admired the world over." He further added, "I am confident that all those that attend His Holiness' teachings and talks, and all those that meet him will be enriched by the experience."

According to Jane Rasch, Dharma Network's Co-ordinator for His Holiness' teachings and public talks in Nottingham from the 24 - 28 May, "Dharma Network is delighted that His Holiness is giving the teachings in Nottingham". She further added "the Dharma Network is looking forward to make these five days with His Holiness an unforgettable time for all of Nottinghamshire, and for the many people from all over the world who will be attending".

The public programme for the visit will conclude with His Holiness giving an address in Oxford on the morning of 30 May on Buddhist Understanding:Why and How organised by The Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies. Following the address, His Holiness will participate in discussions with leading scholars and members of the audience on the subject.

His Holiness will then meet with over 200 family members of former British officials and others who had worked or visited Tibet in the late 19th Century and up to 1950 prior to the Chinese occupation along with a few Tibet experts who have contributed significantly to the Tibet cause.

On the afternoon of 30 May His Holiness will visit the Pitts River Museum in Oxford to launch the Museum's Tibet Photo Album website.

Details of His Holiness' public engagements during the visit are provided in the itinerary below.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama's visit to UK is coordinated by the Office of Tibet in London, the official agency of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Central Tibetan Administration for Northern Europe, Poland and the Baltic Countries.

Contact details:
Tel: 020 7722 5378
Fax: 020 7722 0362
E-mail. http://info@tibet.com
Website: http://www.tibet.com

Note: For enquiries about press opportunities for His Holiness' meetings with HRH The Prince of Wales, Prime Minister Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Nick Clegg and the Archbishop of Canterbury please contact their respective offices directly.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama's 20 to 31 May, 2008 UK visit itinerary:

20 May: His Holiness will be awarded an honourary doctorate by the London Metropolitan University
http://www.londonmet.ac.uk
Tel: 020 7133 2000

21 May: His Holiness will address members of the parliament and later take questions a 'Meeting with the Press'. In view of the overwhelming number of requests that the Office of Tibet is receiving for one to one interviews, it is not possible to help with all the requests because of time constraints. Therefore this 'Meeting with the Press' time has been arranged so that the maximum numbers of media representatives have the opportunity to meet and ask questions to His Holiness.
The press meeting is being coordinated by the Tibet Society UK. (Website:http://www.tibetsociety.com)Tel: 020 7272 1414

22 May: His Holiness will give oral evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the UK Parliament on a range of human rights issues at the invitation of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
For details see: http://www.parliament.uk/facom

22 May: His Holiness will give a public talk on Universal Responsibility in the Modern World at the Royal Albert Hall in London organised by the Tibet Society UK.
Contact details: http://www.dalailama2008UK.com
Tel: 020 7272 1414

24 & 25 May: His Holiness will give public talks in Nottingham Arena on Bringing Meaning to Our Lives organised by the Dharma Network.
Contact website: http://www.dalailama2008.org.uk

26 to 28 May: His Holiness will give three-day teachings in Nottingham Arena on Je Tsongkhapa's Praise to the Buddha for His Discourses on Dependent Origination (Tendrel Toepa) organised by the Dharma Network. On the morning of 28 May His Holiness will confer the Vajrasattva Empowerment.
Contact website: http://www.dalailama2008.org.uk

29 May: His Holiness will give the keynote address at the Blackfriars Hall in Oxford on the Colloquium on Christian and Buddhist traditions and prayers.
For more information, please contact Regent of Studies (Website: http://www.bfriars.ox.ac.uk/events.php
Tel: 01865 278431)

30 May: His Holiness will give a public talk at the Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford on the wider understanding of the Buddhist tradition.
For more information and tickets, please this website link of the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies: http://www.so-wide.org/

Tsering Tashi (Mr.)
Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama
The Office of Tibet
Tibet House
1 Culworth Street
London, NW8 7AF (UK)
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7722 5378 Fax: +44(0) 20 7722 0362
E-mail. info@tibet.com
Website: www.tibet.com