Reverend Mpho Tutu (archbishop Desmond Tutu's daughter) with the Dalai Lama in Vancouver, Canada.
For the second time in the last three years, his Holiness the Dalai Lama is in Vancouver, Canada and I’m lucky enough to be here at the Vancouver Peace Summit. (The first time was the Dialogues in Vancouver session at GM Place in 2006.)
It’s impossible not to walk away inspired to be a better person and with a plan to change the world. Or is that just me?
His company wasn’t too shabby, either. On the first day, Sir Ken Robinson took the helm as moderator, joined by Eckhart Tolle, Mattieu Ricard and Reverend Mpho Tutu (Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s daughter).
Archbishop Desmond Tutu was unable to make it due to a back injury, but Reverend Mpho Tutu tells us his state of mind: He’s “something like an 8-year old boy who is told he is not having a birthday party,” she says with a laugh. “He’s feeling exceedingly sorry for himself.”
Over the course of the next hour and a half, the audience is treated to much laughter and insight. Only the Dalai Lama has the ability to convey his profound ideas in such simple language, then answer with his signature, “I don’t know” and continue with a few words of nonsense.
Mairhead Maguire, Eckhart Tolle, his Holiness the Dalai Lama and Sir Ken Robinson in Vancouver, BC.
He tells us that we are all fundamentally the same: “My future depends on the rest of the 6 billion human beings.” And my favourite Dalai Lama quote of the day, although it was more in the way he said it than what he said.
“Everything has a right to exist, to grow,” which pretty much sums up the conflict I used to have with myself for so many years when I was bulimic, that I wasn’t good enough, that I wasn’t worth it and that I didn’t warrant the space I took up.
But both the Dalai Lama and Eckhart Tolle talked about the concept that inner peace is what will eventually lead to global peace; we all have to work on what’s inside ourselves before conflict can transform into peace.
It’s a call to action for all of us to look within our own selves and let go of all the “stuff” that doesn’t contribute to our inner peace.
Media Attention Surrounding his Holiness the Dalai Lama in Vancouver, Canada.
I was thrown back into the real world as all the media attending were herded outside the theatre for a photo opp of the Dalai Lama leaving. Photographers pushed and shoved their way to the front of the moving scrum as his Holiness made his way calmly to lunch. In keeping with the spirit of the summit, I didn’t push anyone 
What I liked:
- Being in the presence of the Dalai Lama is pretty special. His giggle is infectious and it’s fun watching as everyone goes completely silent and is mesmerized whenever he speaks.
- Vancouver, Canada will be the only city with a centre with the Dalai Lama’s name on it. Founded in 2005, the Dalai Lama Centre is operating without a home right now but is searching for the right building in Vancouver.
Lori Henry is a freelance Travel, Health and Hockey writer based in Vancouver, Canada.
