THE DALAI LAMA RETURNS TO GEORGIA

THE DALAI LAMA AT EMORY THIS OCTOBER

By Doc Lawrence

ATLANTA-You might see him dining at Mary Mac’s, the venerable shrine of Southern cuisine on Atlanta’s fabled Ponce de Leon Avenue, or speaking impromptu to huge gatherings at Centennial Olympic Park across from CNN’s headquarters. But, he’s most accessible on Emory University’s campus where he maintains a close association that includes prestigious faculty status.

His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama, Presidential Distinguished Professor at Emory University, returns to Atlanta this October for a series of public and campus events, including programs on responsible citizenship, ethics and education. Emory’s president, James Wagner, made the announcement recently: "The Dalai Lama has made invaluable contributions to our understanding of what it means to be an ethical citizen of the world. We are looking forward to the return of Emory's Presidential Distinguished Professor and the opportunities for our faculty and students to engage with him on these vital issues."

Two public events are scheduled for Tuesday, October 8, 2013 at The Arena at Gwinnett Center.  In addition, the Dalai Lama will spend two days afterward on the Emory University campus teaching students and engaging with the faculty.

The Dalai Lama last visited Emory in 2010 for a series of events on science research and meditation, creativity and spirituality, interfaith dialogue, and a teaching on compassion. In 2007, he was named Presidential Distinguished Professor at Emory, the first university appointment accepted by the 1989 Nobel Laureate. His appointment was an outgrowth of the Emory-Tibet Partnership which was founded in 1998 to bring together the best of Western and Tibetan Buddhist intellectual traditions. As Presidential Distinguished Professor, the Dalai Lama continues to provide teaching sessions with students and faculty during Emory's study-abroad program in Dharamsala, India.

Often referred to as “our professor,” by Emory students, faculty and alumni, both actor Richard Gere and Pulitzer Prize winning author Alice Walker described His Holiness as a role model and a source of inspiration. during a 2010 panel session at Emory.