By Tenzin Tsering
Dharamsala, July 16 – His Holiness the Dalai Lama will visit Toronto, Canada in October this year. The Tibetan leader who turned 75 last week will inaugurate the newly built Tibetan Cultural Centre in Toronto; give public talks and religious discourses.
The Tibetan leader, bestowed the Honorary Canadian Citizen in 2006 by the Canadian Parliament will be in Toronto, home to around 5000 Tibetans, from October 22 to October 25.
His four days visit will be jointly hosted by The Tibetan Canadian Cultural Centre(TCCC) and Canadian Tibetan Association of Ontario (CTAO).
Namgyal Nangsetsang, a spokesperson for the Tibetan Canadian Cultural Centre, said they are expecting more than 30,000 people to hear the Dalai Lama speak.
On Oct 23, at an invitation only event, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will attend the “Opening Ceremony of the Tibetan Canadian Cultural Centre”. The Tibetan leader also will address the Tibetan community separately.
A Long Life offering Ceremony or Tenshug will be offered to His Holiness the Dalai Lama by the Tibetan community of Ontario and Tsengdok Monastery, Vancouver.
Last year, the Dalai Lama had visited Montreal, Calgary and Vancouer.
In 2004, the Tibetan leader met Paul Martin, who became the Canadian’s first prime minister to meet the Dalai Lama despite warnings from China.
In 2007, The Tibetan leader met with Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Ottawa, which drew criticism from Beijing.
Next week, the Tibetan leader will head for Nubra Valley in Ladakh, a predominantly Buddhist region in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. His Holiness will give religious teachings, oral transmissions and bless a newly built Maitreya Statue during his week-long visit to Nubra valley. His programs in Kargil planned for July 18 to July 20 has been postponed to September 14 and 15.
