Visit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Austria and Germany in September 2007
17 September 2007 / The Tibet Bureau, Geneva
Following successful visits in Barcelona, Spain and Lisbon, Portugal, His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrives today in Vienna, Austria at the request of the Waldzell Institute. Before attending the annual Waldzell Meeting in the famous Abbey Stift in Melk, His Holiness will pay a brief visit to the SOS Children’s village in Hinterbruehl which celebrates its 50 years jubilee.
On 18 September 2007 His Holiness the Dalai Lama will take part in the “Dialogue of religious leaders” along with Archbishop Philip (Ukrainian and Head of the Department of Religious Formation, Catechesis and Missionary Work of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate), Achmed El Tayyib (Egyptian and Rector of Al-Azhar University in Cairo) and David Rosen (Israeli and President of the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations). In this dialogue, the above three religious figures will share their own personal values and their position on other religions and beliefs. At the end of the second day in Melk, His Holiness will give an audience to the 150 Tibetans living in Austria. The Waldzell programme will conclude on Wednesday, 19 September by a dialogue in the main church where His Holiness will talk about Genuine Happiness following an interreligious candle lightning.
On 20 September, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will leave for Muenster, Germany to attend the official awarding ceremony of PhD degree conferred by University of Munster. The announcement of the University reads “His enduring effort to introduce scientific education in Buddhist monasteries, to motivate scientist to think beyond borders, in combination with a deep belief in scientific methodology, has persuaded the Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy of the University of Münster to honor His Holiness, the 14. Dalai Lama, with the Doctor Honoris Causa in Natural Sciences.” On 21 September His Holiness will deliver a public talk on “Universal Responsibility in Science and Society”.
On 22 September His Holiness the Dalai Lama will leave Muenster for Neu-Anspach where He will be received by Roland Koch, Chief Minister of Hesse State. His Holiness and Roland Koch will visit the open-air museum Hessenpark followed by a public talk of His Holiness on friendship.
A historic meeting between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Dr. Angela Merkel, the Federal Chancellor of Germany will take place on 23 September 2007 in Berlin at the Chancellery. Dr. Merkel is the first Chancellor of Germany meeting His Holiness the Dalai Lama officially.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama will depart for India on 24 September 2007.
More information:
17 - 19 Sept Waldzell Meeting: www.waldzell.org / Abbey: http://www.stiftmelk.at/englisch/index.html
20 - 21 Sept University Muenster: http://www.uni-muenster.de/GSC-MS/site/DL_EN.html
22 Sept Hessenpark: http://www.freunde-fuer-einen-freund.de/en/