Huy, Belgium, May 29 - His Holiness the Dalai Lama was received at the National Airport Zaventem, Brussels, by Mrs. Anne Marie Lizin, President of Senate and Mr. K. J. Francis, Head of the Chancery of the Indian Embassy and the Representative of the Organising Committee Yeunten Ling Tibetan Institute.

His Holiness' motorcade proceeded to Yeunten Ling, Tibetan Institute at Huy which is the organiser of the teaching and public programmes. The Belgian Government provided full security to His Holiness including a bullet proof car, a full security escort.

The monks of the Yeunten Ling Institute, local people and the Tibetan community-Belgium, greeted His Holiness at His arrival in the Institute.

After the lunch, His Holiness gave a brief audience for Senate's President Mrs Anne Marie Lizin and Mrs Christina Funes-Noppen, a devout Buddhist and incumbent Belgian Ambassador in Kenya.

Then His Holiness inaugurated Thupten Shedrupling temple with a brief address to the gathering at which His Holiness said that He came to the Institute when its foundation stone was laid, and now His Holiness' current visit, the temple is in its half way to completion and His Holiness expressed that it would be incomplete if He did not come after its full completion.

At the end, His Holiness watched a brief Tibetan cultural performance given by the Tibetan community of Belgium. Despite heavy rainfall, over 1500 people patiently waited to receive a blessing and hear His Holiness and watched the Tibetan cultural performances. Press coverage was high and His Holiness' visit was widely announced through major medias of the country.

Tomorrow's programmes include a reception at the Town Hall of Huy and will address a National Congress on "Strategies for Peace and Mutual Understanding". In the afternoon, His Holines will leave for Brussels to take part in a discussion on "Fundamental rights and mutual respect" organised by the European Commission.


This report edited by Bureau du Tibet, Brussels.