Australia Leader Meets Dalai Lama

http://www.dalailama.com/news.138.htm

Australian Prime Minister John Howard, right, greets the Dalai Lama in Sydney, Friday, June 15, 2007. The Dalai Lama is in Australia for an 11-day tour. Beijing regards the 71-year-old Buddhist icon as a beacon for pro-independence sentiment in Tibet, which China rules by military force, although the Dalai Lama has repeatedly said he seeks only autonomy for the region. (AP Photo/Tracey Nearmy, Pool) Sydney, Australia, 15 June 2007 (BBC) - Australian PM John Howard has met the Dalai Lama in Sydney, brushing aside fierce opposition from China. The 71-year-old spiritual leader is on an 11-day trip to Australia, which has complicated relations between Beijing and Canberra. China has condemned the meeting, saying the Dalai Lama is a political exile engaged in what it calls "splittist" activities over Tibet. But Canberra says Australia is one of the world's great liberal democracies. 'Extinction' In deciding to meet the Dalai Lama, Mr Howard has provoked a diplomatic row at a moment when trade links with China have never been closer, the BBC's Nick Bryant in Sydney says. Australia is one of the best placed countries in the world to benefit from China's economic development, and it can help meet the rising economic power's growing appetite for minerals, especially coal. So the decision to go ahead with the meeting was not taken lightly, our correspondent adds. Canberra said a spiritual leader of the stature of the Dalai Lama would always be welcome. But it also tried to placate Beijing by saying that the Buddhist icon had not been using Australia as a platform to promote Tibetan independence. Instead the Dalai Lama has been calling for meaningful autonomy for the Tibetan people. Without it, he has warned, Tibet along with its culture and tradition could face extinction in just 15 years.

 

Dalai Lama: Tibet Culture Could Soon End

http://www.dalailama.com/news.133.htm

Melbourne, Australia 8 June 2007 (AP) - The Dalai Lama warned Friday that Tibetan culture could be "finished" in 15 years if China does not allow the region to govern itself.

Desmond Tutu calls for Christians to emulate Buddhist Tzu Chi
China Post, April 23, 2007

KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan -- Former South African Anglican Church Archbishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu visited the operational headquarters of the Buddhist Tzu Chi Compassionate Relief Foundation in the southern port city of Kaohsiung Sunday, coming away with a tremendous appreciation of the contributions that Tzu Chi has made to the world.

Tutu, the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize winner recognized for his contribution to ending apartheid in South Africa and facilitating reconciliation, and his wife were profoundly impressed with audio-video records and verbal accounts of relief work carried out by Tzu Chi volunteers around the world over the past two decades, in an effort to save lives and comfort people afflicted by natural disasters.

Tutu said the devotion of Tzu Chi volunteers exemplifies the compassion of Buddhism and unselfish service to mankind.

Tutu's wife was reduced to tears when she saw how Zulu volunteers had reacted to the support services extended to AIDS patients in South Africa under the leadership of Tzu Chi volunteer Pan Ming-shui.

Overwhelmingly moved, Tutu said that South Africa is a Christian country but that Christians there have been relatively more arrogant than Buddhists. He called on Christians to be humble enough to learn from and emulate what the Buddhists have done.

Tutu and his wife arrived in Taiwan April 18 for an eight-day visit at the invitation of the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy.

The couple have visited Machangting, a former execution ground for political prisoners adjacent to the present day Youth Park in western Taipei, and the 2-28 Peace Memorial Park in downtown Taipei, as well as meeting with Vice President Annette Lu, who was imprisoned for nearly six years for her pro democracy activities during Taiwan's martial law era.

Tutu will deliver a speech April 24 on South Africa's experiences in seeking transitional justice and ethnic reconciliation following the end of apartheid. As head of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Tutu has played a leading role in his country's post-apartheid campaign to heal its historical wounds and boost ethnic harmony.

H.E Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche Dharma Programme

Details at http://www.karmachoying.org/event.html

The following are details for medical consultation with Dr Tamdin, the personal physician of the Dalai Lama, the Karmapa and the Ganden Trisur --

Extended Days

Due to the rather overwhelming requests for medical consultation, Dr Tamdin's medical consultation will now be extended to include almost 4 full days --

Consultation Costs

There is a Suggested Offering of S$50/- per consultation, 100% of which will be re-channeled for important charity projects with CAS and the Tibetan Medical College.

These charitable projects are given in  http://www.casotac. com/projects. html

No one will be denied medical consultation due to financial constraints. Just drop us a line.

Ordained sangha members are exempted from the "Suggested Offering".

"Booking"

Although priority will be given to students who booked the consultation slots early, it is still possible for students wishing to meet Dr Tamdin for consultation on the designated days itself, after or in-between the "booked" slots --

Please note that, as with all medical consultations, the allocated slots for students who "booked" early are still relatively volatile, depending upon the medical cases of the day and Dr Tamdin's discretion --  

Registration or "bookings" for Dr Tamdin's talks on 13 and 14 July are not required --

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The "bookings" will be confirmed only upon payment of the costs via the following channels:

A) Cash - Camden Education Center ( call 64686835 before coming !! )

Camden Education Center's address is available at www.camden.edu. sg

B) Crossed Check to "Charitable Assistance Society" 

[ Posted to 170 Upper Bt Timah Road, Bt Timah Shopping Centre, #B1-27, S(588179) ]

C) Funds Transfer: DBS Current Account - 022-900386-5 ( Email to alert upon transfer )

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Please send your "bookings" via email to bb @ CAS to contact@casotac. com --

Please include your

a) Name

b) Identification Card / Passport Number

c) Mobile Contact

d) Postal Address 

e) Mode of Payment  

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Note:

For Friends who have sent us emails, our apologies for not being able to answer earlier as we have received confirmarion of availability of venue for the extended days only yesterday ( 28 June ).

We will be grateful if you can re-send us your "bookings" for the Medical Consultation again including the above details.

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Medical Consultation Days

14 July 2007 --

2:30 pm to 5 pm

Ngee Ann Cultural Centre

[ Cultural Room ]

15 July 2007 --

2 pm to 5 pm

7 pm to 9 pm

Ngee Ann Cultural Centre

[ Cultural Room ]

18 July 2007 --

6:30 pm to 9 pm

Camden Education Centre

[ Address given in www.camden.edu. sg ]

19 July 2007 --

6:30 pm to 9 pm

Camden Education Centre

[ Address given in www.camden.edu. sg ]