Dharamsala, February 4: A seminar on “The Future of Dalai Lamas and Tibetan Democracy” is to be held on Sunday, February 10, 2008 at Tibet House, 22 W 15th St., New York.

Robert F. Thurman, director of Tibet House, Elliot Sperling, Professor of Tibetan Studies in the Department of Central Eurasian Studies at Indiana University and Jamyang Norbu, award winning writer and author of a recent article on this subject “The Jewel in the Ballot Box: Electing a New Dalai Lama" will be the main speakers.

The discussion is to be moderated by Wangchuk Shakabpa.

Rangzen Alliance, Students for a Free Tibet, US Tibet Committee and Tibet House are organising the seminar, which will be open for public participation.

The organisers hope that the seminar will “contribute to opening up a greater national debate on this most vital development in the future of Tibet and the Tibetan people”.

During the seminar, the North American edition of Jamyang Norbu’s SHADOW TIBET: Selected Writings 1989 to 2004 will be released.

Following is the press release of the seminar

THE FUTURE OF THE DALAI LAMAS AND TIBETAN DEMOCRACY

Sunday, February 10th at 5:30pm; Tibet House, 22 W 15th St., New York

SPEAKERS:
▪ Robert F. Thurman, Director of Tibet House and international authority on Tibetan Buddhism
▪ Elliot Sperling, Professor of Tibetan Studies in the Department of Central Eurasian Studies at Indiana University and a specialist on Sino-Tibetan relations.
▪ Jamyang Norbu, award winning writer and author of a recent article on this subject “The Jewel in the Ballot Box: Electing a New Dalai Lama".

Wangchuk Shakabpa will moderate the discussion.
All Tibetans and friends are aware of His Holiness’s recent statements proposing new and untraditional methods by which a future incarnation of the Dalai Lama might be chosen. It is most likely that the Dalai Lama offered these proposals as a response to Chinese government announcements of new rules regulating the incarnation process of Tibetan lamas that appear to be aimed at controlling the selection of the next Dalai Lama. These statements by His Holiness in addition to his announcement in May of 2007, of his desire to move into “retirement”, has greatly troubled Tibetan society.

Despite the tremendous concerns and fears of the Tibetan people there has been little public discussion on these happenings within Tibetan society. A small inaugural seminar THE FUTURE OF THE DALAI LAMAS AND TIBETAN DEMOCRACY is proposed for February 10th 2008, 5:30pm, at Tibet House in New York City. It is hoped that this will contribute to opening up a greater national debate on this most vital development in the future of Tibet and the Tibetan people.

All are welcome to participate in the discussion.

Organized by Rangzen Alliance, Students for a Free Tibet, US Tibet Committee and Tibet House

The North American edition of Jamyang Norbu’s SHADOW TIBET: Selected Writings 1989 to 2004 will be released on the occasion.