Dalai Lama inaugurates Tibetan Centre in Austria

His Holiness the Dalai Lama visited Hüttenberg in Austria’s Carinthia province on 15 May to inaugurate an International Centre for Higher Tibetan Studies there.

This center is the wishes and the will of late Mr. Heinrich Harrer of the Seven Years in Tibet book and film fame, who hails from the same region. He died in January this year at the age of 93.

This project is a joint venture undertaken by the Rogner group, Men-Tsee-Khang and Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies in Varanasi. The project is estimated to cost 22 million euros, which the central government of Austria, Carinthia province, and the Rogner group agreed to finance collectively, provided the project gets approval from a government deputed committee designated specifically of it.

The Director Dr Dawa attended the inaugural ceremony to represent Men-Tsee-Khang. He reported that after laying the centre’s foundation stone, clouds paved its way for the Sun to shine through for a brief moment, which he described is a very good sign for the project.

His Holiness is reported to have later visited the sites. He was in the province from 13-15 May during which he met many high level officials of the province. He also addressed a gathering of about 4,000 people, which also saw presence of some 70 Tibetans.
With the kind guidance and his physical presence, His Holiness not only blessed the project but also made huge impact on project realization. His Holiness later thanked the government of Austria, Carinthia province government and the Rogner foundation for their willingness to finance the project. The project will be presented to a high level government deputed committee for approval later this year.

It is reported that this center will be the first and only training center for Tibetan medicine in the west. The center will include studies on Tibetan Buddhism, medicine and related Tibetan subjects. Once the center is established the Rogner foundation puts the training of students on Tibetan Science of Healing and deputation of resource persons to be handed over to the Men-Tsee-Khang.

The Director Dr Dawa had an opportunity to meet many influential people who are associated to the project and discussed with them on the detailed proceedings of the project implementation.
Men-Tsee-Khang thanks the Rogner foundation who also financed the director’s tour expenses, and for their untiring initiative on the project.