Samdhong Rinpoche

Samdhong Rinpoche

Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche, the first Kalon Tripa (Chairman of the Tibetan Cabinet) to be directly elected by the Tibetan people, will visit the United States and Canada from July 4 to 14, 2002, according to the Office of Tibet in New York.

While in North America, Rinpoche will be meeting with Tibetans and their supporters in New York, NY; Toronto, Canada; Washington, DC; and Minneapolis, MN. This visit marks Rinpoche’s first official tour of North America as the Chairman.

In 1990, Rinpoche served on a committee to draft The Charter for Tibetans-in-Exile, and later helped draft the Constitution for a Future Tibet. Rinpoche was unanimously elected Chairman of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile in 1991 and served two five-year terms in that capacity. In September 2001, he assumed the post of Kalon Tripa.

A statesman, scholar, and deeply spiritual monk, Rinpoche believes in Mahatma Gandhi’s Satyagraha, or non-violent freedom struggle, as a necessary means to obtain a resolution to the Tibet issue. Rinpoche was involved in the field of Tibetan education for more than three decades, first in the Central Schools for Tibetans and later in the internationally renowned Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies (CIHTS), based in Varanasi, India. He became the principal of CIHTS in 1971 and was promoted to Director in 1988, a position he held until 2001.

Rinpoche will be participating in the following public events:

NEW YORK CITY

Saturday, July 6:

9:45 a.m.; Celebration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 67th Birthday and the 360th Anniversary of the Tibetan Government of Gaden Phodrang (The Institution of the Dalai Lamas), followed by a Public Address to the Tibetan Community of New York and New Jersey; The Armenian Church, 34th Street and 2nd Avenue.

Media Contact: Ms. Annie Warner (212) 213-5010 x14

TORONTO, CANADA

Sunday, July 7:

3:00 p.m. Celebration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 67th Birthday and the 360th Anniversary of the Tibetan Government of Gaden Phodrang (The Institution of the Dalai Lamas), followed by a Public Address to the Tibetan Community of Toronto; Palais Royal 1601 Lakeshore Boulevard West

7:00 p.m.; Public Address to the Canada Tibet Committee and their supporters in Toronto; Medical Science Building at the University of Toronto. Contact: Mrs. Tenzin Dolker (416) 233-2176

Monday, July 8:

11:00 a.m.; Meet with the Press and the Announcement of the Kalachakra Teaching in 2004;

Media Contact: Ms. Rigzin Dolkar (416) 899-4745

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Thursday, July 11:

6:30 p.m.; Public Address to the Tibetan Community of the Capital Area; Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 1545 Chain Bridge Road, McLean, Virginia

Media Contact: Mr. Namkha Tenzin (202) 488-7803

MINNEAPOLIS, MN

Friday, July 12:

5:15 p.m.; Meet with the Press; Minneapolis Institute of the Arts

6:30 p.m.; Public Address to the Tibetan Community of Minnesota; Edison High School Auditorium

Saturday, July 13:

8:30 a.m.; Inauguration of the 7th General Body Meeting of the North American Tibetan Associations; The Hyatt Hotel, Minneapolis

Media Contact: Dr. Tsewang Ngodup (612) 872-8177