His Holiness The Dalai Lama To Visit Italy

(19 -29 October, 1999): Meeting with the Prime Minister of Italy Scheduled - Bestows Buddhist Teaching in Milan and Attends Vatican Ceremony

12 October, Geneva ( Tibet Bureau, Geneva) - His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the spiritual and political leader of the six million Tibetan people, will visit Italy from 19 - 29 October at the invitation of various hosts, including the Democratic Left Party (Democratici di Sinistra) of the ruling Government in Italy, The Vatican and the Regional Council of Lombardia. This is His Holinessâ ninth visit to Italy since 1982 and the eighth to The Vatican since 1973. During the last visit to the country in May 1999, His Holiness the Dalai Lama held an inter-religious dialogue with Christian practitioners near the Italian city of Florence.

On this visit, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will attend the Closing Ceremony of an Inter-religious Assembly at The Vatican on 28 October. His Holiness last visited The Vatican on 20 May 1996. Two days earlier, Mr. Massimo DâAlema, the Prime Minister of Italy, will hold talks with the Tibetan Leader during a lunch-meeting on 26 October in Rome. Mr. Silvio Berlusconi was last Italian Prime Minister to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama on 17 June 1995.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama will arrive in Milan on 19 October as the Guest of the Region Lombardia, the biggest of the 21 States of Italy. In the afternoon, His Holiness will be received by Mr. Giancarlo Morandi, the President of Lombardia Parliament in the Parliament Building at a Meet with the Press which will be followed by His Holinessâ address in the session hall of the Parliament. Earlier in the day, the Tibetan leader will meet with local, provincial and regional leaders including Mr. Roberto Formigoni, President of the Lombardia State Government and Mr. Giancarlo Morandi, President of the Lombardia Parliament (The Council).

On 20 October morning, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be received at the University, "Universitę degli Studi di Milano" in Milan by Prof. Paolo Mantegazza, the Rector, the faculty members and students. His Holiness will deliver a speech on "Ethics for A New Millennium" at the institution. Later in the day, the Tibetan Leader will be received by Mrs. Giovanna Melandri, the Italian Culture Minister at Rotonda della Besana Hall, where His Holiness will inaugurate an exhibition on Tibet, "Tibet-Art and Spirituality: A Contribution to the History of Mankind."

From 21 to 23 October, the Tibetan Leader will bestow Buddhist Teaching on, "Gradual Path to Enlightenement" based on the original text "Yonten Shigyurma" at the request of Rabten Ghe Phel Ling, a Tibetan Buddhist Centre in Milan headed by Ven. Thamthog Rinpoche. The Centre was established in 1978 under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The devotees attending the teaching at Palalido Hall in the city will also receive Avalokistesvara (Buddha of Compassion) Initiation on 24 October which will be followed by a Teaching on "The Eight Verses on Transforming the Mind" at the Rabten Ghe Phel Ling Centre. Later in the afternoon, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will visit San Raffaele Hospital outside Milan, an institution which supports the "Childrenâs Hospital" project of the Department of Health of the Tibetan Government in Exile.

On 25 October, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will briefly visit Matilde di Canossa region of Italy to the city of San Polo to receive the Honourary Citizenship of 21 Municipalities of Reggio Emilia, Parma, Modena and Ferrara cities. The Tibetan Leader will thereafter inaugurate a new exhibition hall of Casa del Tibet (Tibet House) in Votigno di Canossa.

In the evening of 25 October, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will arrive in Rome as the invitation of the Democratic Left Party and The Vatican. The Tibetan Leader will be received at the Ciampino Airport by Mr. Zingaretti, International Secretary of the Democratic Left Party.

In the next two days, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be received at the headquarters of the Democratic Left Party by its Secretary-General Mr. Walter Veltroni and the Board Members. A Meet with the Press is scheduled at the Party headquarters on 26 October. His Holiness is also scheduled to visit the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Parliament to meet with the DS-Olive Parliamentary Groups composed of parliamentarians of political parties who are members of the current coalition Government of Italy.

Representatives of the three biggest Trade Unions of Italy (CGIL, UIL and CISL) will call on His Holiness the Dalai Lama during His stay in Rome. On 27 October, Mr. Gianni Borgna, the Culture Minister of Rome City will host a reception in honour of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Later that evening, as organised by the Democratic Left Party, the Tibetan Leader will give a Public Talk at Cinema Capranica Hall in Rome on the topic, "The Future of Tibet, the Way for New Dialogue."

On the morning of 28, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will again visit the Parliament to meet Mr. Luciano Violante, Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Parliament. In the afternoon, His Holiness will join representatives of religions in the world at The Vatican to attend the closing ceremony of the assembly, "On the Eve of the Third Millennium: A Collaboration Amongst the Different Religions" organised by the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue from 25 to 28 October this year. Ven. Dorzong Rinpoche and Ven. Choiegyal Lama from Tashijong, India will represent Tibetan Buddhism at this gathering at The Vatican.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama returns to India on 29 October.