November 11, Itanagar: The 108 Peace Institute, in collaboration with the Department of Political Science at the Himalayan University, organized an evening talk on “The Dalai Lama at 90: Legacies and the Road Ahead” at the Department of Political Science. The talk was attended by more than 80 participants, including faculty members and students from the Department of Political Science.
At the outset, Dr. Prakash Divakaran, Vice-Chancellor of the Himalayan University, highlighted the importance of the 14th Dalai Lama in promoting peace and dialogue. He also emphasized that today’s youth must inculcate the values of mindfulness and peace to become better human beings. Then, Dr. Dipongpou, Head of the Department of Political Science, welcomed the speaker and encouraged the students to participate in the Q&A session to better understand the issue of Tibet.
The speaker, Mr. Yeshi Dawa from our Institute, began the talk by highlighting the contributions of the 14th Dalai Lama to the world in promoting peace, love, and kindness. He further focused on the historic relationship between Tibet and Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. He expressed his gratitude to the Government of India and its people for their unwavering support to the 14th Dalai Lama and the Tibetans in India. He also praised India’s democracy for fostering a “bonsai democracy” within the Tibetan diaspora, strongly remarking that such development of democracy in exile is only possible in India.
He stressed the importance of the institution of the Dalai Lamas—not just for Tibetans but for the entire world—to continue promoting peace and love globally. He strongly warned of the possible ramifications if China succeeds in appointing its own Dalai Lama. The talk ended with an extensive exchange of questions and answers among faculty members and students.
The latest book by the 14th Dalai Lama, “Voice for the Voiceless,” was presented to Dr. Dipongpou, the Head of the Department of Political Science of the Himalayan University, as a souvenir from our Institute.
