Forward by: The Office of Tibet, Zurich

Source: World Tibet Network News, Friday June 17 1995

Press Statement

Zurich, 17 June: His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the spiritual and political leader of the six million Tibetan people will pay a 10 day visit to Germany, Switzerland and Austria from 18 June, 1995 at the initiation of various institutions and organisations, including the German Parliament.

The current European visit begins in Hannover on 18 June when His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be officially received by Mrs. Heidrun Alm-Merk, State Minister for Justice of the State of Lower Saxony. Later during the day His Holiness will be received by Abbot Venerable Thich Nhu Dien at "Vien Giac", a Vietnamese Buddhist monastery in Hannover.

On 19 June His Holiness the Dalai Lama will address an All Party Parliamentary Hearing on Tibet organised by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the German Parliament at Bonn. This is the first time that such a parliamentary Hearing is being officially convened by a parliament in Europe apart from the European Parliament. "This Hearing is an important forum for the Tibetan struggle as it is expected to have a direct influence on the current German policy towards Tibet" said Mr. Gyaltsen Gyaltag, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Zurich.

During this two-day visit to Germany, His Holiness the Dalai Lama is also expected to meet with Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo of East Timor on 19 June in Bonn

The four-day Swiss visit by His Holiness the Dalai Lama will begin with a public talk at the University of St. Gallen on 20 June on the topic, "Tibet's Geopolitical Role for Peace in Central Asia". Another public address will take place on 23 June in Zurich where His Holiness will speak on the there, "Tolerance and Universal Responsibility".

On 21 June, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will attend a day-long function with the Tibetan community in Switzerland at Dietikon where a Long-Life Prayer will be offered to His Holiness by the

2,000 Tibetans in Switzerland

In other engagements in Switzerland, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will participate in a series of television discussion hosted by the Swiss National TV (German Section) on the topic, "the Tibetan Culture and the Current Significance of Buddhism for the Tibetan People." On 24 June at the Cathedral of Zurich His Holiness the Dalai Lama will attend a Live TV programme of Musical Meditation entitled, "Jesus and Buddha". "The Switzerland visit will be an important landmark because His Holiness virtually shares His message with the entire country through a series of engagements with the public, the religious and educational institutions, government and media personalities," said Mr. Gyaltag

His Holiness the Dalai Lama will begin a three-day visit to Austria on 25 June when He will be received in Graz by Dr. Josef Krainer, Governor of the Federal Province of Styria and Mr. Alfred Stingle, Mayor of Graz. "This visit will be of a cultural, religious and academic nature," said Mr. Gyaltag. Apart from addressing Buddhists in Austria and the Tibetan community, His Holiness will visit two exhibitions, Tibetan Mandala-Mirror Net of the World and Tibet in Photographs-l0 Years of Tibet in the city.

On 26 June after a welcome speech by Mayor Alfred Stingle of Graz, the host of the Graz visit, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will give a public address at the Congress Centre on the theme, "Man in the Community-Thoughts on Altruistic Ethics." On 27 June His Holiness will be received by Vice-Chancellor Dr. Helmut Konrad of the Karl Franzens University where His Holiness will give another public address at the invitation of the Academic Forum for Foreign Affairs (based in Vienna). "Internal and External Disarmament-A Human Approach to Peace" will be the topic of this public address.

During this Austrian visit His Holiness the Dalai Lama will also be received by the Bishop of the Gray-Seckau Diocese, Dr. Johann Weber at luncheon with various religious leaders. His Holiness the Dalai Lama will conclude the Graz visit by participating at an Inter-Religious Meditation on Tolerance where major world religions will share their thoughts on tolerance.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama will return to India on 28 June, 1995.

Contact: Mr. Gyaltsen Gyaltag

Germany: 0049 228 81080

Switzerland: 0041 52351729 or 352698

Austria: 0043 316 90660