ZAGREB, June 1 (Hina) - The Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, will visit Croatia in October for the first time at an invitation of the Zagreb Society of Jesus' Faculty of Philosophy, vice-dean Anto Misic said on
Friday. The Dalai Lama will spend three days in Croatia, visiting Zagreb and the southern Adriatic city of Split, most probably between Oct. 18-20. The aim of his visit will be the promotion of inter-religious dialogue, human rights, and care for refugees, and has no political dimension at all, Misic stressed. The 14th Dalai Lama is to hold a lecture on inter-religious dialogue and Tibetan Buddhism. Afterwards, an inter-religious meeting will be held and a joint prayer for peace said to which representatives of all major religions in Croatia will be invited. Given that the faculty premises where the Dalai Lama is to lecture are very small, organisers plan a public lecture on the same t
ZAGREB, June 1 (Hina) - The Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness
the Dalai Lama, will visit Croatia in October for the first time at
an invitation of the Zagreb Society of Jesus' Faculty of
Philosophy, vice-dean Anto Misic said on Friday.
The Dalai Lama will spend three days in Croatia, visiting Zagreb and
the southern Adriatic city of Split, most probably between Oct. 18-
20. The aim of his visit will be the promotion of inter-religious
dialogue, human rights, and care for refugees, and has no political
dimension at all, Misic stressed.
The 14th Dalai Lama is to hold a lecture on inter-religious dialogue
and Tibetan Buddhism. Afterwards, an inter-religious meeting will
be held and a joint prayer for peace said to which representatives
of all major religions in Croatia will be invited.
Given that the faculty premises where the Dalai Lama is to lecture
are very small, organisers plan a public lecture on the same topic
in one Zagreb's biggest gyms.
The visit will be entirely financed by the organisers, with
assistance from sponsors. The Croatian state does not participate
either financially or in any other way, said Misic, adding no
meeting with Croatian officials were planned.
"I would like to stress that we as a church faculty of philosophy are
not inviting the Dalai Lama as a politician and representative of
Tibet but as a representative of a large and important religious
community," said Misic.
Asked to comment, Foreign Ministry spokesman Goran Rotim told Hina:
"The Tibetan religious leader, the Dalai Lama, arrives in Croatia
at the faculty's invitation and in that respect has no implication
of a state visit. The university is autonomous in every democracy,
Croatia's included."
Rotim said China three months ago expressed interest "in this
indubitably significant event and showed understanding for it."
Croatia has no reason to expect a reaction from the official Beijing
in connection with the arrival of the Tibetan spiritual leader as
Croatia-China relations in the last year, particularly in the
economy, have been ascending, as confirmed by a series of return
visits.
Dalai Lama stands for ocean of wisdom in Mongolian. The 14th Dalai
Lama, aged 76, was recognised as the embodiment of the 13th one at
age two when he was still named Lhamo Dhondup. When Tibet was
invaded by the Chinese army in 1959, he escaped and formed a
government in exile in northern India. He was awarded the Nobel for
peace in 1989 for his long-standing advocacy of a non-violent
resolution of the Tibetans' fate.
(hina) ha