Dalai Lama to Receive SUNY Honorary Degree at UB

BUFFALO. N.Y. --His Holiness the Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso will receive a State University of New York honorary doctorate in humane letters during his three-day visit to UB in September.

The Dalai Lama was informed that he will receive SUNY's highest accolade in a letter from President John B. Simpson also written on behalf of SUNY Chancellor John Ryan and the SUNY Board of Trustees.

"The University at Buffalo is proud to offer you this honorary degree in recognition of your powerful leadership and teachings as one of our time's most vocal and consequential advocates for world peace, religious tolerance and cultural understanding," Simpson said.

"As a dedicated agent of positive social change and enlightened world leadership, you provide, through your own inspiring example, the means of creating a lasting, pervasive sense of global community among all peoples."

Noting UB's strong commitment to international education and exchange, and ties to institutions of higher education around the world, Simpson added: "We take inspiration from your efforts as a spiritual leader, teacher and scholar to promote greater understanding and tolerance among the peoples and nations of the world."

The honorary degree will be conferred upon the Dalai Lama, who received the Noble Peace Prize in 1989, during a program at 3 p.m. Sept. 19 in which he will deliver the first lecture in UB's 2006-07 Distinguished Speakers Series before a crowd of 30,000 in UB Stadium.

"Promoting Peace Across Borders Through Education" will be the theme of the Dalai Lama's visit to UB on Sept. 18-20. In addition to the Sept. 19 lecture, the Dalai Lama also will participate in an interfaith service in Alumni Arena on Sept. 18, a special meeting with UB students, and an international conference focusing on Tibetan and Buddhist law.

For updates about the Dalai Lama's visit to UB, or to be placed on the early-bird mailing list for ticketing information, please visit http://www.buffalo.edu/dalai_lama/.