The Mind & Life Institute is hosting a three-day public conference with the Dalai Lama in Botswana this August.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES, May 3, 2017 /EINPresswire.com/ -- His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama will visit Botswana in August to participate as an honorary guest at a public conference hosted by the Mind & Life Institute. The Government of Botswana has opened its doors to the Dalai Lama’s participation in this conference, taking place at the new Indoor Sports Centre on the campus of the University of Botswana in Gaborone, 17 – 19 August.

The conference, “Botho/Ubuntu: A Dialogue on Spirituality, Science and Humanity with the Dalai Lama,” brings African humanitarian and spiritual leaders, scholars and healers into conversation with the Dalai Lama and international neuroscientists about the African worldview of Botho/Ubuntu.

Defining humanity through our connections with one another, Botho/Ubuntu is expressed as: “I am because you are,” a view that is reflected also in the Dalai Lama’s teachings. Examining African values and healing practices in light of new scientific research on social connection and trauma, the Dialogue in Botswana explores the potential of Botho/Ubuntu as a framework for healing the legacy and trauma of wars and colonialism, and advancing social justice and women’s equality.

The conference is open to the general public with discounted tickets available to students and Batswana youth (ages 15 – 35). Tickets are on sale now until Friday, 7 July, at www.BotswanaDialogue.org.  Please note that all ticket holders will receive a security clearance prior to the conference, so tickets must be purchased by 7 July.

In addition to the two-and-a-half-day Mind & Life Dialogue with scholars, spiritual leaders and scientists on the topic of Botho/Ubuntu, the Dalai Lama will also speak from his heart to the public during a separate address that culminates his three days in Botswana. The public address on Saturday 19 August will include a musical performance by special guest, Vusi Mahlasela.

The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people and is an internationally revered proponent of secular ethics, inter-religious harmony and human happiness. He is co-author with Archbishop Desmond Tutu of the best-selling “Book of Joy.” He is also the recipient of the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize for his message of nonviolence, reconciliation and reverence for all living beings.

Thupten Jinpa, Chair of the Mind & Life Institute’s Board of Directors and the principal English interpreter to the Dalai Lama since 1985, described the upcoming conference in Gaborone as “an historic opportunity for the people of Africa to benefit from the unique wisdom of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, as he encounters profound issues of modern African society through the lens of Botho/Ubuntu. Guided by presentations and conversations with an international panel of experts, the conference will bravely explore African issues, from its sacred pre-colonial history to the importance of gender equality, healthy communities and peaceful coexistence.”

Mind & Life Dialogues with the Dalai Lama began in 1987 as intimate conversations with leading scientists and scholars to develop an understanding of the mind in relation to human behavior. These conversations have since grown to include large public and private events addressing critical issues of modern life at the intersection of scientific and contemplative understanding.

The Mind & Life Institute is a nonprofit organization founded in 1991, providing grant funding for research projects and think tanks, and hosting academic conferences and Dialogues with the 14th Dalai Lama. Its mission is to alleviate suffering and promote flourishing by advancing the interdisciplinary field of contemplative sciences, deepening understanding of the mind, and promoting evidence-based applications of meditative practices in real-world contexts.

Contact:
Donald J. Crotteau
Director of Communications
Mind & Life Institute
botswanacommunications@mindandlife.org

Daphne Kadiwa
Chief of Protocol
Republic of Botswana
dkadiwa@gov.bw

Donald J. Crotteau
Mind & Life Institute
4343387380
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