His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Visit Germany

Tibet Bureau, Geneva

Addresses the Third International Conference of Tibet Support Groups & Holds Public Discussion with German Interior Minister in Munich

9 May, Geneva - His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the spiritual and political leader of the six million Tibetan people will pay a short visit to Germany from 13-15 May.

During His seventeenth visit to Germany, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will make a key-note address to the Third International Conference of Tibet Support Groups on 14 May at the House of World Cultures in Berlin. The conference being convened by the Department of Information and International Relations of the Central Tibetan Administration with the collaboration of Friedrich-Naumann Foundation, Germany, will be attended by 300 delegates from all over the world. The last two conferences of this nature was held in March 1990 at Dharamsala, India and in June 1996 at Bonn respectively.

On the morning of 14 May, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will appear at a Meet with the Press at Hotel Aldon in Berlin.

On the evening of 14 May, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will arrive in Munich at the invitation of H. E. Mr. Otto Schily, the German Interior Minister. The Tibetan leader will hold a public discussion with the German Minister on the topic, "Social Justice in the New Century", which will be attended by more than 5,000 people. This public discussion to be held at Rudi Sedlmayer Hall is organised by the Munich-branch of the Social Democratic Party of Germany.

The Munich visit will be covered live on the Internet at these sites: www.webfreetv.com and www.tvl.de

On 15 May, before departing for Stockholm, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be received at an official Reception by Mr. Christain Ude the Lord Mayor of Munich at the city hall.