mr.x
September 8th, 2006, 04:46 AM
Vancouver to host Dalai Lama centre
Karen Gram, Vancouver Sun
Published: Thursday, September 07, 2006
Get Victor Chan talking about the unique aspects of the Dalai Lama centre he will bring to
Vancouver in three years and it's hard to stop him. Words flow like a river from the usually taciturn man who dreamed up the idea of the cultural institution in the vacuum following the Dalai Lama's visit in 2004.
You won't find this confluence of science, spirituality, community and culture under one zen-like roof garden anywhere else in the world, says Chan, a friend of the Dalai Lama and founding director of the centre.
In fact, once built, the Dalai Lama Centre for Peace and Education will be the only physical facility to which the Dalai Lama has consented to lend his name.
Mayor Sam Sullivan, who will meet the Dalai Lama this morning, says he is very honoured that the spiritual leader chose Vancouver for the centre.
While dialogues, such as those happening this weekend, are an excellent means to propel ideas forward, the physical nature of the centre is essential to long-term sustainability and the ability of others to fulfil the Dalai Lama's mandate of educating the heart and nurturing peace, says Chan.
"The Dalai Lama is now 71 years old. Sooner or later he will retire, but the establishment of the centre will allow his ideas to flourish for a long time," he says.
At 4,645 square metres, bigger by about 800 square metres than the Vancouver Art Gallery's exhibition space, the centre will have an outdoor European-style piazza -- where people can gather for a bite to eat or a coffee -- a zen garden on the rooftop, plus a bookstore and library.
There will also be a film screening theatre, performing arts theatre and art gallery on site, all focusing on spiritual works.
Other studios will provide space for performing movements such as Tai Chi, and salon-type rooms for the public to discuss the ideas generated throughout.
Besides the films and performances, Chan envisions author readings and many lecture series including one for Nobel Peace Prize winners, but also with top scientists from around the world.
"This will be a place where a lot of things go on," says Chan from his office in the Continuing Education Centre at Simon Fraser University downtown. "Intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, it will be a cultural and educational bazaar, if you will. A kind of beacon that attracts people from all walks of life to be stimulated intellectually and emotionally and to have a nice time doing it."
Chan says the centre can capitalize on the good friendships the Dalai Lama has developed over the last four decades; friendships with people like South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Vaclav Havel, former president of the Czech Republic.
The centre will have what Chan calls, the two wings of a bird. The global wing will highlight the Dalai Lama's powerful international connections, with guest speakers, support for interfaith dialogues and discussions on peaceful resolutions to conflicts.
It will also be very much rooted in the local community, he says, adding that half of the $60 million budget will go to operating costs, research, local programming and an endowment. The other half will go towards the centre construction and a meditative retreat on Bowen Island. The centre won't be a palace, but will be iconic and comfortable, he says.
"I have seen the Art Gallery of Ontario designed by Frank Geary and it's very iconic and flamboyant. But I don't need that flamboyance. I need spaces that are psychologically comfortable, where people will feel comfortable to strike up a conversation with other people so that we can talk about our challenges and discuss the ideas triggered by, for example, an author's reading."
Chan says he has not yet secured a site for the centre, nor hired an architect, but has considered Yaletown, Gastown and downtown. He has three offers on the table from private developers who would also benefit by getting density bonuses. He says, wherever it goes, he wants the site to have a close association with one of the city's universities.
He wants an architect who understands the Dalai Lama's desire to enhance people's abilities to connect with each other. Most of all, he wants a location to draw in pedestrians who pass by.
"So much of our life [in Western culture] is so structured, so premeditated," he says. "A lot of spontaneity is lost in our interaction with people. I want the centre to fulfil that role for people."
kgram@png.canwest.com
- - -
Principles from the Dalai Lama
On June 13, 2005, the Dalai Lama e-mailed his friend Victor Chan, from Sweden, outlining the principles on which a centre with his name should be based. This is what he wrote:
"I think, No. 1, promotion of human values. By birth, our emotional mind already has some of these good qualities -- qualities we need for our survival. Although these good qualities are there already, we usually neglect them. As a result, humanity faces unnecessary problems. What we need is more effort -- effort to sustain, effort to
further develop these values. The promotion of human values is of great importance.
The No. 2: promotion of human relations --regardless of differences in nationalities,
religious faiths, race, rich or poor, educated or not. We are all human beings. If I have some difficulties, and if I met someone, a stranger, then immediately he will offer to help me. We all depend on each other in
difficult circumstances. We don't ask who we are, what race we belong to, before we help.
So the recognition of oneness, the oneness of entire humanity, I think that's very important. And, in this modern time, very relevant. Artificial division creates unnecessary problems. Therefore, this second point: promote recognition of oneness of the entire humanity.
I think these two points together, we can call secular ethics. Secular means no discrimination, no difference between believers and non-believers. And when I use the word secular, it does not mean rejection of religion or faith.
In Canada, Canadian people and government officials refer to the native people as First Nation people. This is a good example of creating harmony to serve a common interest, to minimize division. In reality and in practice, there is so much diversity, not only nation to nation, but also within one nation. So harmony is very essential.
To sum up, the key concepts useful to define the goals of the Dalai Lama Centre are: one, the promotion of human values; and two, the promotion of a sense of oneness within humanity. These two ideas are very useful. They promote peace among different communities within one nation. And they are useful for shaping the long-term goals of the Dalai Lama Centre for Peace and Education in Vancouver, Canada."
Karen Gram
© The Vancouver Sun 2006
Karen Gram, Vancouver Sun
Published: Thursday, September 07, 2006
Get Victor Chan talking about the unique aspects of the Dalai Lama centre he will bring to
Vancouver in three years and it's hard to stop him. Words flow like a river from the usually taciturn man who dreamed up the idea of the cultural institution in the vacuum following the Dalai Lama's visit in 2004.
You won't find this confluence of science, spirituality, community and culture under one zen-like roof garden anywhere else in the world, says Chan, a friend of the Dalai Lama and founding director of the centre.
In fact, once built, the Dalai Lama Centre for Peace and Education will be the only physical facility to which the Dalai Lama has consented to lend his name.
Mayor Sam Sullivan, who will meet the Dalai Lama this morning, says he is very honoured that the spiritual leader chose Vancouver for the centre.
While dialogues, such as those happening this weekend, are an excellent means to propel ideas forward, the physical nature of the centre is essential to long-term sustainability and the ability of others to fulfil the Dalai Lama's mandate of educating the heart and nurturing peace, says Chan.
"The Dalai Lama is now 71 years old. Sooner or later he will retire, but the establishment of the centre will allow his ideas to flourish for a long time," he says.
At 4,645 square metres, bigger by about 800 square metres than the Vancouver Art Gallery's exhibition space, the centre will have an outdoor European-style piazza -- where people can gather for a bite to eat or a coffee -- a zen garden on the rooftop, plus a bookstore and library.
There will also be a film screening theatre, performing arts theatre and art gallery on site, all focusing on spiritual works.
Other studios will provide space for performing movements such as Tai Chi, and salon-type rooms for the public to discuss the ideas generated throughout.
Besides the films and performances, Chan envisions author readings and many lecture series including one for Nobel Peace Prize winners, but also with top scientists from around the world.
"This will be a place where a lot of things go on," says Chan from his office in the Continuing Education Centre at Simon Fraser University downtown. "Intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, it will be a cultural and educational bazaar, if you will. A kind of beacon that attracts people from all walks of life to be stimulated intellectually and emotionally and to have a nice time doing it."
Chan says the centre can capitalize on the good friendships the Dalai Lama has developed over the last four decades; friendships with people like South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Vaclav Havel, former president of the Czech Republic.
The centre will have what Chan calls, the two wings of a bird. The global wing will highlight the Dalai Lama's powerful international connections, with guest speakers, support for interfaith dialogues and discussions on peaceful resolutions to conflicts.
It will also be very much rooted in the local community, he says, adding that half of the $60 million budget will go to operating costs, research, local programming and an endowment. The other half will go towards the centre construction and a meditative retreat on Bowen Island. The centre won't be a palace, but will be iconic and comfortable, he says.
"I have seen the Art Gallery of Ontario designed by Frank Geary and it's very iconic and flamboyant. But I don't need that flamboyance. I need spaces that are psychologically comfortable, where people will feel comfortable to strike up a conversation with other people so that we can talk about our challenges and discuss the ideas triggered by, for example, an author's reading."
Chan says he has not yet secured a site for the centre, nor hired an architect, but has considered Yaletown, Gastown and downtown. He has three offers on the table from private developers who would also benefit by getting density bonuses. He says, wherever it goes, he wants the site to have a close association with one of the city's universities.
He wants an architect who understands the Dalai Lama's desire to enhance people's abilities to connect with each other. Most of all, he wants a location to draw in pedestrians who pass by.
"So much of our life [in Western culture] is so structured, so premeditated," he says. "A lot of spontaneity is lost in our interaction with people. I want the centre to fulfil that role for people."
kgram@png.canwest.com
- - -
Principles from the Dalai Lama
On June 13, 2005, the Dalai Lama e-mailed his friend Victor Chan, from Sweden, outlining the principles on which a centre with his name should be based. This is what he wrote:
"I think, No. 1, promotion of human values. By birth, our emotional mind already has some of these good qualities -- qualities we need for our survival. Although these good qualities are there already, we usually neglect them. As a result, humanity faces unnecessary problems. What we need is more effort -- effort to sustain, effort to
further develop these values. The promotion of human values is of great importance.
The No. 2: promotion of human relations --regardless of differences in nationalities,
religious faiths, race, rich or poor, educated or not. We are all human beings. If I have some difficulties, and if I met someone, a stranger, then immediately he will offer to help me. We all depend on each other in
difficult circumstances. We don't ask who we are, what race we belong to, before we help.
So the recognition of oneness, the oneness of entire humanity, I think that's very important. And, in this modern time, very relevant. Artificial division creates unnecessary problems. Therefore, this second point: promote recognition of oneness of the entire humanity.
I think these two points together, we can call secular ethics. Secular means no discrimination, no difference between believers and non-believers. And when I use the word secular, it does not mean rejection of religion or faith.
In Canada, Canadian people and government officials refer to the native people as First Nation people. This is a good example of creating harmony to serve a common interest, to minimize division. In reality and in practice, there is so much diversity, not only nation to nation, but also within one nation. So harmony is very essential.
To sum up, the key concepts useful to define the goals of the Dalai Lama Centre are: one, the promotion of human values; and two, the promotion of a sense of oneness within humanity. These two ideas are very useful. They promote peace among different communities within one nation. And they are useful for shaping the long-term goals of the Dalai Lama Centre for Peace and Education in Vancouver, Canada."
Karen Gram
© The Vancouver Sun 2006