| Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education | |
|---|---|
| Formation | 2006 |
| Location | Vancouver, Canada |
| Website | Official website |
The Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education is an international charitable organization and education center located in Vancouver, Canada. Established in 2006, the center describes its mission as "a non-political, non-religious institution that acts as a beacon for promoting peace through education, research and dialogue."[1][2] The organization is advised by several prominent leaders involved in peace-making and has organized events centered on discussions of spirituality, climate change, the environment, peace and other topics.[3]
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The 14th Dalai Lama's ties with Vancouver, Canada date from the early 1960s when Vancouver-based writer George Woodcock traveled to India to support Tibetan exiles and met the Dalai Lama. Over the years, the Dalai Lama visited Vancouver several times, in 1980, 1993, and 2004. The Dalai Lama's brother, Tendzin Choegyal, also has close ties with the city, having traveled there often to give speeches and teach.[4]
Victor Chan, a 30-year friend of the Dalai Lama, was founding director of the center.[5] Chan co-authored a book with the Dalai Lama called, The Wisdom of Forgiveness.[6] Chan reportedly raised $60 million to establish and organize the center and the Dalai Lama agreed to the use of his name in the organization's title.[7] According to the Dalai Lama, Vancouver was chosen as the center's location because its, "multiethnic and multiracial population gives it harmony."[8][9]
The center was formally inaugurated in September 2006 in Vancouver. The Dalai Lama, in attendance at the event, was awarded honorary Canadian citizenship by the government of Canada.[10][8] Also attending the inauguration were Tim Shriver, Deepak Chopra, and Sonja Lyubomirsky.[4] James Hoggan & Associates provided public relations services for the event.[11]
The center originally announced its intention to have a permanent facility constructed by 2009.[12][13] In a 2006 interview with the Vancouver Sun, Chan explained that the center's facility would be 4,645 square meters and include an outdoor European-style piazza, Zen garden, bookstore, film-screening theater, performing arts theater, art gallery, library, and studios for classes or group discussions. Chan stated that the facility would highlight the Dalai Lama's international connections, invite guest speakers, host interfaith dialogues, and hold discussions on peaceful resolutions to conflicts. Chan added that half of the center's $60 million budget would go to operating costs, research, local programming, and an endowment, and the rest towards construction of the facility and a meditative retreat.[14][13] As of March 2010, however, the center's website indicated that the organization had yet to construct a physical facility.[15]
In a press release, the organizations stated that its goals were to,
Reach out and be open to all people, regardless of faith, culture or political affiliation. It will work to strengthen the bonds of human connection among all peoples and to share knowledge and explore principles that encourage people to live well together. The Center will translate the Dalai Lama's teachings on kindness, compassion and interconnectedness into programs directed at creating a more just and harmonious world.[11]
The center added that it hopes to achive this goal by promoting human values and stressing a sense of oneness with humanity.[11]
At the time of its establishement, the center had an international advisory board which was chaired by the Dalai Lama and included Desmond Tutu, Shirin Ebadi, Jimmy Carter, Václav Havel, and Mairead Maguire. The center is overseen by four trustees, including Chan, Evan Alderson, James Hoggan, and Thomas E. Rafael.[12][9] Tendzin Choegyal was also originally on the organization's advisory board.[4]
In October 2006 the center hosted an invitation-only discussion group with economist John Helliwell and neuro-physiologist Richard Davidson. The discussion centered on happiness.[1]
The center sponsored a summit in Vancouver in September 2009, called "Educating the Heart" and "The Vancouver Peace Summit." The summit agenda included discussions on spirituality, science, psychotherapy, the arts, business, and education. In attendence at the summit were the Dalai Lama, Maria Shriver, Mathieu Ricard, Mary Robinson, Eckhart Tolle, Stephen Covey, Mairead Maguire, Betty Williams, Jody Williams, Murray Gell-Mann, Jane Goodall, and the Blue Man Group. The event was held at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts and attended by 1,000 people.[6][16][5]
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