March 19, 2025: In a truly memorable and uplifting event, the 108 Peace Institute, in collaboration with the Department of Political Science at Sikkim Government College, hosted a powerful lecture session on “Compassionate Leadership in the 21st Century for Global Peace” on 19th March 2025, at the Namchi campus in Sikkim.
This special session began with welcome remarks from Dr. Panu O Pazo, Head of the Political Science Department of Sikkim Government College, who expressed that the college was extremely honored to host a lecture session with 108 Peace Institute on a timely, relevant topic amidst multitude challeges youths face these days in search of right direction. The honor of the event and guest lecturer was Padma Shri Venerable Ngawang Samten, a Buddhist scholar, translator, and educator known for his efforts to bridge Ancient Indian Wisdom with contemporary leadership challenges. The event brought together an impressive audience of 414 participants, including students and faculty members from nine academic departments, making it one of the most impactful sessions in the 108 Peace Institute’s ongoing Lecture Series.
A Message of Hope and Responsibility
In his deeply moving address, Venerable Samten reminded all present that leadership in today’s complex and divided world must be rooted in compassion. He emphasized that true leadership is not about dominance or ambition, but about self-awareness, service, and the willingness to put others before oneself. “Compassion,” he said, “is not doing a favor to others, but to yourself”, elaborating that positive and negative emotions affect oneself first, and then it goes on to affect others. Referring to compassion as the highest level of positive mental state, he said, “It has the power to heal, connect, and guide entire communities toward peace and well-being.”
The speaker also shed light on the Nalanda Tradition of science of mind study and decades of intellectual interaction between Buddhist scholars and neuroscientists, led by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, to understand how the human mind functions and influences actions, drawing knowledge from both communities. He said the sophisticated process of mental transformation is based on the profound science of the mind, which addresses every element of mental units, projecting all the aspects related to each other. These areas have never been explored by modern science till the end of the last century. When modern science came into contact with this rich science of the mind, they explored it with their modern scientific methodology and found it immensely beneficial, said the speaker. Sharing the profound knowledge, he said, our mind can transform, and it can be done with mindfulness training. The regular practice of mindfulness training will help reduce negative emotions and enhance the positive ones, was the word of wisdom from Ven. Samten.
Drawing from both Buddhist philosophy and global examples of leadership, Venerable Samten highlighted the need for moral courage and emotional intelligence in political, social, and institutional life. He encouraged the students and future leaders in the room to be empathetic to others suffering, be grateful for the opportunities available to them, engage in acts of kindness, and be mindful of their actions to bring peace and happiness to their surroundings. His message was simple yet profound: To change the world, we must begin by transforming ourselves.
Engaged Minds, Open Hearts
The atmosphere during the lecture was one of attentiveness and reflection, with the large hall filled with students eager to understand how compassion could apply not only in personal life but in politics, governance, business, education, and social service. After the keynote address, a dynamic Q&A session followed, during which students and faculty posed thoughtful questions ranging from leadership dilemmas in global politics to the role of spiritual practice in academic and personal life. Venerable Samten responded with humility and depth, offering practical wisdom and gentle encouragement to all who asked. The lecture session concluded with an appreciation note from Mr. Tiwari, Principal of the college, who called on the audience to reflect on Ven. Samten’s lecture and make an effort to become a selfless and compassionate leader.
Towards a More Compassionate World
This session marks a significant milestone in the 108 Peace Institute’s Lecture Series—a growing initiative aimed at nurturing thoughtful leadership and promoting values of nonviolence, empathy, and ethical responsibility across academic institutions and communities.
As we look ahead, we remain committed to organizing more such events that bridge spiritual insight with social action and that guide us all in building a more peaceful, compassionate, and happy world.