Mayor Sam Sullivan Welcomes His Holiness The Dalai Lama to Vancouver for the Official Inauguration of the Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education

Wednesday, September 6, 2006 - 17:00

Mayor Sam Sullivan and the trustees from the Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education welcomed his Holiness to Vancouver today for the official inauguration of the Center and the beginning of a series of public dialogues that will take place over the next three days.

The dialogues will provide a unique opportunity to join with the Dalai Lama and leading global thinkers in considering issues of universal responsibility and compassion as a foundation for peace.

The Center, inspired by the Dalai Lama's teachings and the first of its kind in the world, will reach out and be open to all people, regardless of faith, culture or political affiliation.

"On a personal level, it is a very special moment for me to have met the Dalai Lama," said Mayor Sullivan. "And as Mayor of Vancouver, I am delighted that the Dalai Lama has chosen Vancouver as the home for this Center. Given our City's reputation as a leader in promoting inclusivity, it is fitting that we would now welcome a new facility dedicated to fostering peace and compassion."

"It is a tremendous honour for Vancouver to welcome the Dalai Lama to the City for the first time since the Center was endorsed by His Holiness," said Victor Chan, Founding Director of the Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education. "The upcoming dialogues have attracted internationally renowned academic, business and social leaders who have shown a keen interest to engage in conversations that are founded in the Dalai Lama's message of kindness and compassion as the fundamental tools for building meaningful happiness and peace throughout the world."

The Center has an International Advisory Board led by the Dalai Lama. The Board also includes four other Nobel Peace Laureates -- Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Shirin Ebadi, Jimmy Carter and Mairead Maguire -- all of whom will lend their extensive experience to support the Center's objectives.

The Center is overseen by four Trustees: Victor Chan, who has known the Dalai Lama for over 30 years and who is also the founding Director of the Center; Evan Alderson, former Dean of Arts at Simon Fraser University; and local business leaders James Hoggan and Thomas E. Rafael. The Trustees are in the process of securing a site and raising funds for the Center.

The Dialogues taking place over the next three days include: Educating the Heart, Cultivating Happiness, Happiness and Stress as Determinants of Mental Health and Connecting for Change: Corporate and Social Leaders in Dialogue.

Ticketing information is available on the Center’s web site at www.dalailamacenter.org and at www.ticketmaster.ca. For full program details, visit www.dalailamacenter.org.

Event Details

Nurturing Compassion
Friday September 8, 2006
9:00 am – 11:30 am
Orpheum

Educating the Heart
Friday September 8, 2006
1:00 pm – 3:45 pm
Orpheum

Happiness & Stress as Determinants of Mental Health
Saturday September 9, 2006
9:00 am – 11:30 am
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Orpheum

Cultivating Happiness
Saturday September 9, 2006
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
GM Place

Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education

The Center, which is scheduled for completion in 2009, is a non-political, non-religious institution that acts as a beacon for promoting peace through education, research and dialogue. "My religion is kindness," the Dalai Lama famously stated. The Center is aligned with this ethos and to the Dalai Lama's belief that each person must "cultivate the heart, and work for peace within yourself and in the world."

The vision of the Vancouver-based Center reflects the Dalai Lama's life-long commitment to compassion and inner well-being. The Center will be a world-class institution, grounded in Vancouver yet global in nature. While its physical home will be in Vancouver, its reach will be world-wide.