The Edinburgh Inter Faith Association, the Conference of Edinburgh’s Religious Leaders and City of Edinburgh Council, has announced that that The Dalai Lama will visit Scotland in late June 2012.
On Friday 22 June The Dalai Lama will be in Edinburgh for a private viewing of archive material relating to Tibet during a visit he is to make to the National Library of Scotland.
This will be followed by a public talk at the Usher Hall on the theme of Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World. The event will be the highlight of a five month series of talks marking the 20th anniversary of The Edinburgh Lectures.
Following the public talk His Holiness will meet with religious leaders from across Scotland for an informal lunch at the Scottish Parliament.
The Rt Hon. Cllr George Grubb, Lord Provost of The City of Edinburgh said: “I am delighted to welcome His Holiness The Dalai Lama to Edinburgh and I will be very much looking forward to hearing what will undoubtedly be a fascinating and inspiring talk. This will be a monumental occasion for the city and a truly special way to mark the twentieth anniversary of The Edinburgh Lectures series."
Victor Spence, Co-ordinator of the Dalai Lama’s visit in Scotland said: "Following a wait of six years from the initial invitations in 2006 for His Holiness The Dalai Lama to visit Dundee, Edinburgh and Inverness the invitation partners and co-ordinators are delighted and excited to announce what will be a historic visit to Scotland in late June 2012. Three public talks in three cities being Edinburgh, Dundee and Inverness are the highlights of a very full schedule for His Holiness The Dalai Lama in Scotland."
Mr Thubten Samdup (Representative of HH the Dalai Lama and UK Visit Co-ordinator) said, “This visit will be an opportunity for people across the UK to hear the message of this globally recognised spiritual and moral authority. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has called for this to be a ‘century of dialogue and peace', urging youth to ‘be the change they wish to see in the world’. In particular, his message will encourage youth across the UK to seriously consider their unique potential as decisive catalysts for peace, able to bring to reality the better world they hope to inhabit.”