Due to health concerns, the Dalai Lama will not visit the U in October as scheduled.
According to a statement released by the university, the Dalai Lama, age 80, visited doctors in the U.S. this week for a medical evaluation and was advised to “take complete rest.” The exact ailment of the Tibetan Buddhist leader is unknown at this time, but he will return to India in the next few days to recover.
“Obviously his well-being is the most important thing,” said Jana Cunningham, a spokesperson for the U. “We wouldn’t want him to do anything that his doctor is not recommending. We wish him the best, and we hope he has a quick and speedy recovery.”
Tickets for the event cost $10 for students, $20 for faculty and staff and $35 for community members. Cunningham said the U’s Ticket Office will reach out to people about refunds. A notice on its website about the event says: “Refunds for orders paid by credit/debit cards should be processed within 7-10 business days. Refunds for orders paid by cash or check may take 4-5 weeks to be processed.” Anyone with questions can contact the office at (801) 581-8849.
The Dalai Lama’s speech on compassion, set for Oct. 18 at the Huntsman Center, was part of the Parliament of the World’s Religions 2015 conference in Salt Lake City and set in conjunction with Utah Tibet Foundation. Cunningham said there are not yet plans to book another speaker, and the university is “waiting to see what’s going to happen.”
The religious leader, who promotes harmony and nonviolence, previously visited the U in May 2001. He was exiled from his home country of Tibet in 1959 and now works to preserve his culture and help refugees.
@CourtneyLTanner