2008 Woodie Awards
The Dalai Lama Spoke of Compassion
The 14th Dalai Lama visited Salve yesterday, delivering a speech, "A Human Appraoch to World Peace"
Elisabeth Steinhardt
Issue date: 11/16/05 Section: News
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Yesterday, Nov. 17, at 2:30 p.m., His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, who is the head of state and the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, visited Salve to meet with longtime friends Senator and Mrs. Pell. His Holiness also addressed members of Salve's student body, faculty and members of the community with a lecture entitled, "A Human Approach to World Peace."
A huge white circus-like tent situated on the back lawn of Ochre Court along the Cliff Walk created a serene setting for the Dalai Lama's lecture and its 4,000 attendees.
On a beautifully sunny, crisp fall day, a speech about world peace, friendship, compassion and goodness seemed all too perfect. When everyone was in their seats, and the secret service agents, body guards, police and security officers were in their spots hovering over every entrance and along every aisle, it was time for the Dalai Lama to make his entrance.
Walking through the tent and down the center aisle, the Dalai Lama brought with him an amazing aura that left audience members in awe, and some in tears. During his walk to the stage, the Dalai Lama stopped to shake the hands of audience members.
Once he was on stage, Sister M. Therese Antone, president of Salve Regina, introduced the Dalai Lama and spoke of his mission of nonviolence, peacefulness and justice. President Antone also mentioned that yesterday was declared a day of peace and reflection campus-wide.
"The true goal of education is wisdom," President Antone said of the Dalai Lama's beliefs on education. "Education prepares us to go beyond knowledge."
Once it was time for the presentation of "A Human Approach to World Peace," the Dalai Lama and his interpreter Thubten Jinpa, stood alongside each other at the podium. After stating how honored he was to be at Salve, he showed how lighthearted and fun-spirited he could be as he joked with the audience about the turbulent plane ride on his trip to Rhode Island that morning.
The Dalai Lama then spoke about his main mission. "Peace, I believe, is deep down compassion and friendship," he said.
Many times during his speech, he spoke of his "dear friend" Senator Claiborne Pell, testifying to the unbelievably strong relationship the two men have had since first meeting in 1979.