gurukul reunion programme 2013
DESCRIPTION
A return to Gurukul is a time for renewing friendships, re-acquainting with the community, and strengthening the connections established with the people of Dharamshala. It is also a time to reflect on the experience of Gurukul, both as individuals and collectively as a group.TRANSCRIPT
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1 - 8 June 2013 DHARAMSHALA
Foundation for Universal Responsibility
of His Holiness The Dalai Lama
GURUKUL REUNION
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CONTENTS
3 Message
4 Programme Details
8 Your Arrival - Information
9 About the Foundation
11 Join Us
12 Write to us
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MESSAGE A Message from the Secretary/Founding Trustee
It is a great pleasure for me to welcome you back to Dharamshala for the Gurukul Reunion. A return to
Gurukul is a time for renewing friendships, re-acquainting with the community, and strengthening
the connections established with the people of Dharamshala. It is also a time to reflect on the
experience of Gurukul, both as individuals and collectively as a group.
As you know, the Gurukul Programme aims to enrich formal education processes by facilitating
inspirational contact with masters of different spiritual traditions, particularly Tibetan Buddhism.
Through the participation in the month-long program at Dharamshala, we strive to bring the
participants in contact with different people and cultures at a common platform; giving opportunities
to interact and to discover diverse perspectives. Living in the monasteries and nunneries, probably
you had a chance to view the life of a spiritual practitioner, up close and we hope it provided
inspiration to lead a more meaningful life. Some of you also contributed back to the community by
volunteering your time with various projects and programmes. We believe that such interactions
catalyze new ideas and help grasp the interconnectedness of our world.
The Foundation is committed to carrying out its mission of fostering the spirit of universal
responsibility, with initiatives like Gurukul Programme and now this flagship project of Gurukul
Reunion.
In this regard, I invite you to become a close associate with this endeavor. During your week-long
stay in Dharamshala for the Reunion, you will have the privilege to attend special teachings by His
Holiness the Dalai Lama (1-4 June) along with thousands of Indians, invited from all over India. After
the Reunion programme on 5 June, we would like to invite you, once again, for our Introductory Tour
along with the Gurukul 2013 participants (6-8 June). It will take you through the paths that you
traversed some years back and rekindle fond memories.
I hope you share our enthusiasm for Gurukul’s success, and will join with us to fulfill our collective
vision of coexistence and universal responsibility.
I take this opportunity to thank you for your time, support and most of all, the affection you have
expressed for the Tibetan community in Dharamshala. Also our special thanks to those who have
agreed to share their experiences during the Reunion. I am also deeply grateful to our Tibetan
associates who have agreed to make presentations at the Reunion.
I look forward very much to seeing you in June. We hope that the Reunion programme will mean as
much to the Gurukul alumni as it does to all of us at the Foundation.
With best wishes.
Rajiv Mehrotra
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PROGRAMME DETAILS Friday, 31 May
03:30 pm
Participants to report at the address provided at page 8
05:00 pm
Board the bus to Dharamshala
SPECIAL TEACHINGS
Saturday - Tuesday, 1-4 June, 2013
*Special Teachings by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on ‘Shantideva's A Guide to the Boddhisattva's Way
of Life (chodjug)’.
Morning and Afternoon Sessions at
the Main Temple – Tsuklag Khang
Mobiles, video and still cameras will not be allowed into the teaching area. So bring standalone FM
radios. Do not depend on the FM apps on your mobiles. Please listen to the FM translation only
through earphones.
His Holiness will teach in Tibetan. For the non-Hindi speakers, there will be a simultaneous English
translation over FM radio. His Holiness will pause between sentences and paragraphs, and allow the
Hindi translator who will be sitting close to him to directly translate into Hindi over the P.A. system.
So only those who specifically need an English translation should get FM radios.
Two passport-size pictures and identity proof will be required for registration and security
procedures.
Participants are requested to wear the ID badges at all times during the teachings, which will also
serve as a lunch ticket.
* Detailed Teachings information in separate enclosures.
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PROGRAMME DETAILS
GURUKUL REUNION 2013
Wednesday, 5 June
09:30 am
Introduction
10:00 am
Film Screening: Gurukul Documentary Film ‘Unheard Voices and Notes to myself….’
Directed by Dev Agarwal, an ex-Gurukul Participant
Followed by Q&A with the Director
11:00 am
Presentation/Talk by ex-Gurukul Members
11:45 am
Talk/Suggestions from invited Members of Guests from various organisations
12:15 pm
Conclusion
12:45 pm
Lunch Break
02:00 pm
Self-Introduction Session
02:30 pm
Sharing of Expectations and Experiences by the members of Gurukul 2013 and Ex-Gurukul
04:00 pm
Feedback/Conclusion
04:30 pm
Concluding with Tea
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REVISIT MEMORAY LANE:
Thursday, 6 June
09:30 am
Guided tour of Norbulingka Institute
12:30 pm
Lunch
02:00 pm
Guided tour of Dolma Ling Nunnery
03:00 pm
Guided tour of Ngyingtop Ling Institute
03:30 pm
Visit to Lhundrub Chime Gatsal Ling Monastery
04:30 pm
End of Tour Day 1
Friday, 7 June
09:00 am
Tibetan Medical and Astrology Institute of
HH The Dalai Lama.men-tsee-khang.org
Guided tour of the institute and museum
11:00 am
Tibetan Center for Conflict Resolution
12:30 pm
Lunch
02:00 pm
Department of Information and International Relations
02:30 pm
Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy
03:00 pm
Tibet Policy Institute
03:30 pm
Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile
04:30 pm
Library of Tibetan Works and Archives
05:00 pm
End of Tour Day 2
PRO
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Saturday, 8 June
09:00 am
Upper Tibetan Children’s Village School
11:00 am
Tushita Meditation Center
12:45 pm
Lunch
01:45 pm
Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts
02:30 pm
Tibetan Youth Congress
03:15 pm
Tibetan Women's Association
04:00 pm
Students for a Free Tibet
04:45 pm
Gu Chu Sum Association
05:30 pm
End of Tour Day 3 &
End of Gurukul Reunion Programme
(Optional)
Sunday, 9 June
09:00 am
Thangde Gatsal Thangka Painting Studio
01:00 pm
Lunch
02:00 pm
Gurukul 2013 Orientation Session
04.00 pm
End of Introductory Tour
P
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YOUR ARRIVAL - INFORMATION
Reporting Information:
31st May, 3.30 pm, at EarthLink Travels, H#45
Shangrila Complex, New Aruna Nagar, Majnu-ka Tilla
Delhi-110054
Phone: +91-11-64727411/65023430/9911623114
How to reach Majnu-ka-Tilla:
Metro: Take Yellow Line from Airport or New Delhi Railway Station
towards Jahangirpuri and get down at Vidhan Sabha Metro Station.
Delhi Metro Website: www.delhimetrorail.com
Ride: From Vidhan Sabha Metro Station, take a cycle rickshaw or auto rickshaw
for Rs. 20-40 to Majnu-ka-Tilla and ask for Earthlink Travel Agent
Accommodation & Transportation:
We are happy to welcome you as our guest and to meet your basic expenses on travel to/from
Delhi, basic board and lodging. As you know the Foundation is a not-for-profit organization
that sustains itself from donations and the support of the community. We welcome donation
and contributions. These help cover the costs of the ongoing Gurukul programme, the reunion
and other projects. For example we anticipate expenditure of approximately Rs. 5000/- per head
for the reunion. Please do not feel pressured to make a contribution, particularly if you are still
a student or have recently graduated. What is most important for us is to be able to welcome
you back amidst us.
For further information about Dharamshala, we recommend you to check & explore
www.dalailama.com/teachings/dharamsala-guide
Reunion Venue:
Library of Tibetan Works and Archive
Gangchen Kyishong
Dharamshala, District Kangra – 176215, HP, India
RSVP: +91 9999660585, Thupten / +91 9911956539, Nyima
Registration& Badges:
Registration for both Special Teachings and Gurukul Reunion will take place inside the main
temple at Indian Sangha Teachings Office in the morning of 1st June. Mr. Nyima Dorjee of the
Foundation will be at the desk to greet you with Special Teachings and Gurukul Reunion
packets and badges. Registration desk is open on 1st to 2nd June, 08:00-10:00 at the main temple
and at the Reunion venue on 5th June, 08:00-09:15
Contacts:
For further information, please contact:
Thupten Tsewang, 9999660585, [email protected]
Nyima Dorjee, 9911956539, [email protected]
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ABOUT THE FOUNDATION
"This Foundation will implement projects to benefit people everywhere,
focusing especially on assisting nonviolent methods, on improving
communications between religion and science, on securing human rights and
democratic freedoms, and on conserving and restoring our precious Mother
Earth."
– His Holiness The Dalai Lama
VISION
• Foster the celebration of diversity, the spirit of universal
responsibility and the understanding of interdependence across
faiths, creeds and religions.
• Support personal transformation in ways that facilitate larger
processes of social change.
• Develop and sustain peace building and coexistence initiatives in
regions of violent conflict and social unrest.
• Encourage and cultivate Ahimsa (nonviolence) as a guiding principle for interaction
among human beings and with their environments.
• Offer inclusive and holistic paradigms of education that prioritize experiential
learning, cross-cultural dialogue, and a global ethic of peace and justice.
• Build capacity for conflict transformation, human rights and democratic freedom
through partnerships with civil society groups across the globe.
• Explore new frontiers on understanding of the mind by building bridges between
science and spirituality.
• Support the professional development of future leaders and decision-makers through
scholarships and fellowships.
• Create media products and educational materials that promote the objectives of the
Foundation.
• Nurture an understanding of the relevance and value of Tibetan civilisational heritage
to contemporary issues and predicaments.
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ABOUT THE FOUNDATION
MISSION
To promote universal responsibility in a manner
that respects difference and encourages a diversity
of beliefs, practices and approaches.
To build a global ethic of nonviolence, coexistence,
gender equity and peace by facilitating secular
processes that cultivate personal and social ethical
values.
To enrich educational paradigms that tap the
transformative potential of the human mind.
The Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His
Holiness The Dalai Lama is a not for profit, non-
sectarian, non-denominational organisation established
with the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to His Holiness in
1989. In the spirit of the Charter of the United Nations,
the Foundation brings together men and women of
different faiths, professions and nationalities, through
a range of initiatives and mutually sustaining
collaborations.
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JOIN US ONLINE RESOURCE
Website
www.furhhdl.org
Email Alerts
Sign up by sending an email at
www.facebook.com/furhhdlindia
www.twitter.com/furhhdl
Books/ DVDs
www.furhhdl.org/content/
publications-films-
SUPPORT US!
The Foundation works with a modest corpus. There are no charges or tickets for our
events. DONATIONS are welcome to meet expenses towards organizing secular events
like this one. These are tax exempt under Sec 80G in India.
Contributions are accepted preferably by cheque or draft payable to:
‘Foundation for Universal Responsibility of HH The Dalai Lama’ and send to:
Core 4A, UGF, India Habitat Centre, Lodi Road, New Delhi – 110003, India
For other modes of payments, please visit, www.furhhdl.org/how-to-help
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REGISTERED OFFICE
The Foundation for Universal Responsibility of HH The Dalai Lama
Private Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Thekchen Choeling, McLeod Ganj
Dharamsala - 176 219
District Kangra
Himachal Pradesh
India
Tax ID No in India: AAATF 0174 E
Trust Registration No.7989/ FCRA182450033
Tel: (91) (1892) 221879
Fax: (91) (1892) 221813
www.dalailama.com
WRITE TO US!
Gurukul Reunion
Foundation for
Universal Responsibility
of His Holiness The Dalai Lama
Core 4A, UGF, India Habitat Center
Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110003
Tel: (91) (11) 24648450
Fax: (91) (11) 24648451
www.furhhdl.org
Should you have any
queries regarding the
Gurukul Reunion, or
any queries in general,
we will be glad to hear
from you.