Contact: Mrs Kesang Y Takla

Mr Tseten Samdup

Tel: 0171-722-5378

His Holiness the Dalai Lama, spiritual and political leader of the Tibetan people, will visit the United Kingdom from 15 to 21 July 1996. This is on the invitation of the Buddhist Society, Network of Buddhist Organisations and the Tibet Society, all UK-based organisations. It will be the Tibetan leader's eighth visit to the United Kingdom.

During the seven-day visit, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will have a number of political and religious engagements.

The All Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet, has invited His Holiness the Dalai Lama to speak to the Members of the Parliament during the visit. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has met both the Prime Minister John Major and the then Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd on earlier visits.

For the first time in the West, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will give two exclusive days of teaching on 17 and18 July 1996 on the FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS - the heart of the Buddha's teachings. This teaching has been requested by The Network of Buddhist Organisations - a forum for dialogue and co-operation between Buddhist organisations in the UK.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama will also address two public talks at Free Trade Hall, Manchester - COMPASSION, THE BASIS FOR HUMAN HAPPINESS on 19 July 1996, and at London's Alexandra Palace - THE NEED TO BALANCE SPIRITUAL AND MATERIAL VALUES on 20 July 1996. Both these talks are organised by Tibet Society of United Kingdom, an organisation formed to lobby the Tibetan issue in 1959 soon after His Holiness the Dalai Lama escaped into exile after the onset of China's occupation of Tibet.

The Buddhist Society, the oldest Buddhist organisation in the United Kingdom, founded in 1924, will host a reception in honour of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on 16 July 1995.