Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education

Last updated
Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education [1]
Formation2005
Location
Website Official website

The Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education is an international charitable organization and education center in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Established in 2005, the center's mission is to "educate the hearts of children by informing, inspiring, and engaging the communities around them." [2] [3]

Contents

The organization is advised by several prominent leaders involved in peace-making and has organized events centered on discussions of spirituality, climate change, the environment, peace, and other topics. [4]

History and mission

The 14th Dalai Lama's ties with Vancouver, Canada, date from the early 1960s when Vancouver-based writer George Woodcock traveled to India to support Tibetan exiles and met the Dalai Lama. Over the years, the Dalai Lama visited Vancouver several times in 1980, 1993, 2004, 2006, and 2009. The Dalai Lama's brother, Tendzin Choegyal, also has close ties with the city, having traveled there often to give speeches and teach. [5]

Victor Chan, a 30-year friend of the Dalai Lama, is the center's founding director. [6] Chan co-authored the 2013 book The Wisdom of Compassion: Stories of Remarkable Encounters and Timeless Insights with the Dalai Lama. [7] According to the Dalai Lama, Vancouver was chosen as the center's location because its "multiethnic and multiracial population gives it harmony." [8] [9]

The center was formally inaugurated in September 2006 in Vancouver. The Dalai Lama, in attendance at the event, was awarded honorary Canadian citizenship by the Canadian government. [8] [10] Also attending the inauguration were Tim Shriver, Deepak Chopra, and Sonja Lyubomirsky, [5] with James Hoggan & Associates providing public relations services for the event. [11] Given that the Dalai Lama was visiting a major city such as Vancouver, event organizers elected to widen the scope of his visit to the city and expand the audience for the Vancouver Dialogues by streaming sessions live over the internet to broadcast to an international audience. [12]

The center originally intended to have a permanent facility constructed by 2009. [13] [14] In a 2006 interview with the Vancouver Sun , Chan explained that the center's facility would be 4,645 square meters and include an outdoor European-style piazza, Zen garden, bookstore, film-screening theater, performing arts theater, art gallery, library, and studios for classes or group discussions. Chan stated that the facility would highlight the Dalai Lama's international connections, invite guest speakers, host interfaith dialogues, and discuss peaceful resolutions to conflicts. Chan added that half of the center's $60 million budget would go to operating costs, research, local programming, and an endowment, and the rest towards construction of the facility and a meditative retreat. [14] [15] As of March 2010, however, the center's website indicated that the organization had yet to construct a physical facility. [16]

In a press release, the organization stated that its goals were to:

Reach out and be open to all people, regardless of faith, culture or political affiliation. It will work to strengthen the bonds of human connection among all peoples and to share knowledge and explore principles that encourage people to live well together. The Center will translate the Dalai Lama's teachings on kindness, compassion and interconnectedness into programs directed at creating a more just and harmonious world. [11]

The Center added that it hopes to achieve this goal by promoting human values and stressing a sense of oneness with humanity. [11]

Governance

The Center has an international advisory board which is chaired by the Dalai Lama and includes:

The Center is overseen by six trustees, including:

Notable events

In October 2006, the Center hosted an invitation-only discussion group with economist John Helliwell and neurophysiologist Richard Davidson. The discussion centered on happiness. [2]

Vancouver Peace Summit

In September 2009, the Center sponsored an event called "The Vancouver Peace Summit". In various dialogues, including "World Peace through Personal Peace", "Nobel Laureates in Dialogue", and "Educating the Heart", speakers discussed spirituality, science, psychotherapy, the arts, business, and education. In attendance at the Summit were the Dalai Lama, Maria Shriver, Matthieu Ricard, Mary Robinson, Eckhart Tolle, Stephen Covey, Mairead Maguire, Betty Williams, Jody Williams, Murray Gell-Mann, and the Blue Man Group. The event was held at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts and the Orpheum and was attended by 5,000 people. [6] [7] [17]

Be the Village. Dialogues with the Dalai Lama. Vancouver 2014

The Dalai Lama returned to Vancouver in October 2014 to take part in a panel discussion with Kimberly Schonert-Reichl, Tamara Vrooman, and Janet Austin, with special guest Peter Senge. The focus of the discussion was the advancement of heart-mind well-being in children and youth. [18] [19]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eckhart Tolle</span> German spiritual author (born 1948)

Eckhart Tolle is a German-born spiritual teacher and self-help author. His books include The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment (1997), A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose (2005) and the picture book Guardians of Being (2009).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vajradhatu</span>

Vajradhatu was the name of the umbrella organization of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, one of the first Tibetan Buddhist lamas to visit and teach in the West. It served as the vehicle for the promulgation of his teachings, and was also the name by which his community was known from 1973 until 1990. Starting in 1976 it was paralleled by a governmental structure for establishing the non-denominational enlightened society of Shambhala Kingdom, which included Shambhala Training among many other activities. In February 2000, the Vajradhatu organization was renamed Shambhala International by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche</span> Tibetan Buddhist lama (1924–2019)

Khenpo Karma Tharchin Rinpoche, widely known by his abbreviated name Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, was a senior lama of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. Before his death he served as abbot of Karma Triyana Dharmachakra (KTD) Monastery in Woodstock, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DeSmog</span> Organization focused on climate topics

DeSmog, founded in January 2006, is an international journalism organization that focuses on topics related to climate change. DeSmog's emphasis is investigating and reporting on misinformation campaigns and organizations opposing climate science and action. The site was founded, originally in blog format, by James Hoggan, president of a public relations firm based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. DeSmog is a partner in the Covering Climate Now project which organizes and assists news organizations cover climate change worldwide. DeSmog also maintains several databases of persons and organizations engaged in misinformation and lobbying against addressing climate change.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">14th Dalai Lama</span> Spiritual leader of Tibet since 1940

The 14th Dalai Lama is the incumbent Dalai Lama, the highest spiritual leader and head of Tibetan Buddhism. Before 1959, he served as both the resident spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet, and subsequently established and led the Tibetan government in exile represented by the Central Tibetan Administration in Dharamsala, India. The adherents of Tibetan Buddhism consider the Dalai Lama a living Bodhisattva, specifically an emanation of Avalokiteśvara or Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, a belief central to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and the institution of the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama, whose name means Ocean of Wisdom, is known to Tibetans as Gyalwa Rinpoche, The Precious Jewel-like Buddha-Master, Kundun, The Presence, and Yizhin Norbu, The Wish-Fulfilling Gem. His devotees, as well as much of the Western world, often call him His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the style employed on his website. He is also the leader and a monk of the Gelug school, the newest school of Tibetan Buddhism, formally headed by the Ganden Tripa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vajradhara-Ling</span>

Vajradhara-Ling is a center affiliated to the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism located in France in Normandy in the commune of Aubry-le-Panthou.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tibetan diaspora</span> Communities of Tibetans living outside of Tibet

The Tibetan diaspora is the relocation of Tibetan people from Tibet, their country of origin, to other nation states to live as exiles and refugees in communities. The diaspora of Tibetan people began in the early 1950s, peaked after the 1959 Tibetan uprising, and continues.

Mary Gordon is a Canadian educator, social entrepreneur, child advocate and parenting expert. She is the founder and president of both Roots of Empathy and Seeds of Empathy, non-profit evidence-based programs dedicated to promoting emotional literacy and empathy among children.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Lefebvre</span> Musical artist

John Lefebvre, is a Canadian musician, composer, entrepreneur, retired lawyer and philanthropist. He is currently active as an author and activist on climate change issues. In 2017 Lefebvre published his first book, All's Well - Where Thou Art Earth And Why, a work of political, moral and legal philosophy.

The 2008 Tibetan unrest was a series of protests and demonstrations met by excessive force, focused on the persecution of Tibetans, in the buildup to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. There was a mixture of outrage and understanding from leading figures abroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tenzin Tethong</span>

Tethong Tenzin Namgyal is a Tibetan politician and a former Prime Minister of Central Tibetan Administration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sara Bronfman</span> Marketing executive

Sara Rosner Bronfman is the daughter of the billionaire former Seagram chairman Edgar Bronfman Sr. Bronfman was a leading funder and a member of the leadership team for the controversial multi-level marketing company and cult NXIVM, as was her sister, Clare Bronfman.

Earl Best, a community organizer better known as the "Street Doctor", was a convicted bank robber who spent 10 years in solitary confinement and worked with the poor on the streets of Newark, New Jersey. He founded the Street Warriors organization in 2003. From 2011 until his death in 2021, Best was active preaching nonviolence and delivering blankets, food and supplies to poor people of Newark with his van and on his feet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victor Chan</span>

Victor Chan is a physicist and a Hong-Kong-born Canadian writer. Founder of the Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education, Chan has known the 14th Dalai Lama since 1972. Co-author with him of two essays, he also wrote a guide of pilgrimage to Tibet. He lives in Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tibet House US</span> Tibetan culture nonprofit in New York City

Tibet House US (THUS) is a Tibetan cultural preservation and education 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1987 in New York City by a group of Westerners after the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, expressed his wish to establish a cultural institution to build awareness of Tibetan culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lobsang Nyandak</span> President at The Tibet Fund

Lobsang Nyandak, sometimes written Lobsang Nyendak also called Lobsang Nyandak Zayul is a Tibetan diplomat and politician. born in 1965 in Kalimpong, India where he performed his studies in Herbertpur and at Panjab University in Chandigarh. There, he held functions at Tibetan Youth Congress before becoming the founding Executive Director of the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy. Member of the National Democratic Party of Tibet, he was elected deputy and was selected as a minister by Samdhong Rinpoche, the first elected Kalon Tripa of Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). He then was the Representative of the 14th Dalai Lama to the Americas and became president of The Tibet Fund.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">India–Tibet relations</span> Relations between Tibet and India

Tibet–India relations are said to have begun during the spread of Buddhism to Tibet from India during the 6th century AD. In 1959, the Dalai Lama fled to India after the failed 1959 Tibetan uprising. Since then, Tibetans-in-exile have been given asylum in India, with the Indian government accommodating them into 45 residential settlements across 10 states in the country, creating the Tibetan diaspora. From around 150,000 Tibetan refugees in 2011, the number fell to 85,000 in 2018, according to government data. Many Tibetans are now leaving India to go back to Tibet and other countries such as United States or Germany. The Government of India, soon after India's independence in 1947, treated Tibet as a de facto independent country. However, more recently India's policy on Tibet has been mindful of Chinese sensibilities, and has recognized Tibet as a part of China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Millennium Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders</span>

The Millennium Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders was held in New York City between August 28–31, 2000. The meeting recognized the importance of religion to world peace and faith leaders’ commitment to peacekeeping, poverty relief, and environmental conservation. It preceded the Millennium Summit, which commemorated the 50th anniversary of the United Nations (UN).

Tsewang Choegyal Tethong was a Tibetan academic and politician. He was a representative of the Offices of Tibet in New Delhi and a minister within the Central Tibetan Administration.

References

  1. ↑ Staff writer (2024). "Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education (DLC)". UIA Global Civil Society Database. uia.org. Brussels, Belgium: Union of International Associations. Yearbook of International Organizations Online. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  2. 1 2 Gram, Karen (October 28, 2006). "Happiness - We all just need a little faith and a point of view". Vancouver Sun . Vancouver. Archived from the original on 2010-06-10. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
  3. ↑ "URGENT Media Advisory - Media Q & A with His Holiness the Dalai Lama CHANGED to 10:15 am PST" (Press release). Ottawa: Canada NewsWire. September 7, 2006.
  4. ↑ "Past events". Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education. dalailamacenter.org. Retrieved 2010-03-19.
  5. 1 2 Todd, Douglas (September 6, 2006). "Dalai Lama to build education centre". Vancouver Sun . Vancouver. Archived from the original on 2014-04-22. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
  6. 1 2 O'Brian, Amy (September 28, 2009). "Look within, peace summit told; Change yourself, and then the world, Tibetan spiritual leader says". Ottawa Citizen . Ottawa. Archived from the original on 2010-03-12. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
  7. 1 2 Todd, Douglas (June 16, 2009). "Toward a more enlightened society; Spiritual leaders, scientists at Vancouver event will look for ways to make the world a happier place". Vancouver Sun . Vancouver. Archived from the original on 2009-11-20. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
  8. 1 2 Associated Press (September 8, 2006). "Dalai Lama says he's proud of honorary Canadian citizenship". Charleston Daily Mail . Charleston.
  9. ↑ Hainsworth, Jeremy (September 8, 2006). "Dalai Lama arrives in Canada to open educational center in his name". America's Intelligence Wire .
  10. ↑ Scott, Michael (September 8, 2006). "Mother's touch brings inner peace". National Post . Toronto.
  11. 1 2 3 "Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education to be established in Vancouver; The Dalai Lama will visit Vancouver September 8–10, 2006 to inaugurate the Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education" (Press release). Ottawa: Canada NewsWire. May 18, 2006. Retrieved 2010-03-09.
  12. ↑ "Event organizers of Dalai Lama visit to Vancouver tap into INSINC to expand reach". INSINC. Retrieved 2022-06-20.
  13. ↑ "Mayor Sam Sullivan welcomes his Holiness The Dalai Lama to Vancouver for the official inauguration of the Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education" (Press release). Ottawa: Canada NewsWire. September 7, 2006.
  14. 1 2 Bellett, Gerry (May 19, 2006). "Dalai Lama to visit in September: Spiritual leader to open centre bearing his name". Vancouver Sun . Vancouver.
  15. ↑ Gram, Karen (September 7, 2006). "Vancouver to host Dalai Lama centre". Vancouver Sun . Vancouver.
  16. ↑ "About: History". Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
  17. ↑ "How to Watch the Vancouver Peace Summit Online: Dalai Lama Center and CTV announce Live Webcast" (Press release). Toronto: Marketwire. September 25, 2009.
  18. ↑ "Story of a shattered life: A single childhood incident pushed Dawn Crey into a downward spiral". Vancouver Sun. 2001-11-24.
  19. ↑ "Story of a shattered life: A single childhood incident pushed Dawn Crey into a downward spiral". Vancouver Sun. 2022-09-15.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.