Dalai Lama to join author Pico Iyer for virtual conversation

Less than two weeks after virtual lessons to over 700 young South-East Asian participants about tackling negative emotions of fear and anxiety precipitated by the global health crisis, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama will now join British-born author Pico Iyer next week, his office said on Friday.

In a video conference from his residence here on June 17, as part of the Jaipur Literature Festival's Brave New World series, the spiritual leader will likely address everything from training the mind to educating the heart and, especially, what the humans can learn from the coronavirus crisis and where the priorities should lie in the months and years to come.

His private office requested people to follow social distancing rules while viewing the live webcast that will also be available in Tibetan, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Russian, Mongolian, Spanish, French, Italian, German and Portuguese.

Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on the arrival of his followers and admirers in this Himalayan hill town to experience the teachings of the spiritual leader, his office has devised a way to reach out to them through webcast.

More young Indians are annually arriving here for the teachings and sermons of the Dalai Lama. His teachings on ethics, non-violence, peace and religious harmony have made the godhead to the Tibetan people one of the most popular and revered figures.

Some people come here in search of Tibetan culture and spiritual sustenance. The spiritual guru's teachings are free and open to the public. The teaching sessions are held at the request of followers and devotees.

The Dalai Lama – the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize – has lived in self-imposed exile in India since fleeing his homeland in 1959..