Once every three years, Emory University is graced with the presence of an important international figure: the Dalai Lama. Tickets recently went on sale for two events at which he will be present: a public talk focusing on the "pillars of responsible citizenship" and a panel session about "secular ethics in education."
We at the Wheel encourage students take advantage of the visit, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The fact that the Dalai Lama is coming to Emory is not something that should be taken lightly; it's a chance to learn, expand our cultural horizons and grow as individuals. The Dalai Lama's visit is an opportunity to learn more about Tibetan culture, though we want to make it clear that the learning experience should not be limited to the two aforementioned events. In fact, it is important to note that Emory offers fantastic opportunities to learn more about Tibetan life in several ways.
Emory has a China-Tibet Initiative, as the Wheel reported in September 2012, which serves as a forum for Chinese and Tibetan students to interact on a bimonthly basis. It enables students and monks on campus to form friendships and participate in an intercultural exchange of ideas. Additionally, the Emory-Tibet Partnership began in 1998, and the University has remained committed to the program since then. We have an exchange program that allows Tibetan monks to visit campus, and we at the Wheel encourage students to speak and interact with them to gain insight into the culture of another country. The research that has been conducted through the initiative – such as that pertaining to compassion meditation – makes Emory unique and a destination institution for learning about Tibet.
The Emory-Tibet Partnership illustrates that Emory is open to new ideas that shed light on international events of monumental importance. Additionally, the knowledge the monks learn on Emory's campus will be taken back to their monasteries to be incorporated into the monastic curriculum, furthering the sharing of knowledge between cultures. In short, we are thrilled that Emory is working with Tibet to exchange ideas about culture and different lifestyles.
That being said, we encourage students to take advantage of all of the speakers who come to campus. This month, musician and songwriter Paul Simon will be performing and partaking in several Emory events. In the past few years, Emory students have seen film director Spike Lee and famed investigative reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. So, whether or not you're interested in these particular figures, all of these lectures and events allow us to learn about the world around us and expand our horizons.
The above staff editorial represents the majority opinion of the Wheel's editorial board.
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