World Tibet Network News Tuesday, May 05, 1998 (I)

CONTACT : CHRIS HALL (608) 243-1228

MIRANDA HOFFMAN (608) 238-9223

SHERAB GYALTSEN LHATSANG (608) 266-2400

CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE ON TIBET RESOLUTION

May 5th 1998: The Madison Common Council will vote this evening May 5, 1998, on a resolution welcoming the Dalai Lama of Tibet to Madison and commemorating his visit to the city next week. The resolution, drafted by Ald. Barbara Vedder and co-sponsored by Mayor Sue Bauman and Alders Mike Verveer, Napoleon Smith and others, recognizes the significance of this visit in light of growing local, national, and international attention focused on the Tibetan situation, and on the Dalai Lama's continuing leadership in the world for compassion and dialog as effective means to achieving peaceful resolutions to conflict.

Members of Wisconsin Tibetan Association, Students For Free Tibet and the Deer Park Buddhist Center in Oregon, WI will be at the meeting to speak and offer their input and support for the Resolution to the Council members.

Community members have expressed support for the resolution.

Ald. Barbara Vedder (Dist.2) who is sponsor of the Resolution, says, "This visit is such an incredible, important, historic event for out community that I felt the need for it to be publicly recognized by our local City government." Sherab G. Lhatsang, an Executive member of the Wisconsin Tibetan Association "H.H. The Dalai Lama has devoted his entire life for our (Tibetan) cause and has been traveling all around the world preaching compassion, peace, non-violence and Universal responsibility. And the City of Madison by deciding to honor him for what he has done and doing, we are extremely happy and thankful to the council members specially Ald. Barbara Vedder for taking the initiative". Miranda Hoffman of Students for Free Tibet feels that "I think this is a wonderful way to recognize the auspicious occasion of his visit. The City of Madison is blessed is blessed to have been provide with the opportunity to receive teachings from such an incredible being. It is my hope that other Cities, in the future, will

follow suit on the occasion of a visit from His Holiness. Chris Hall, who is active in both groups, said "This resolution is very gratifying to those of us who work to raise public awareness about the Tibetan issue. It is important for us to raise our voices in support of the Dalai Lama's message of peace and universal responsibility."

One provision of the resolution calls for the Tibetan flag to be flown during the Dalai Lama's stay in Madison, which is scheduled for Tuesday through Saturday, May 12th-16th.