The Dalai Lama visited the Gentile Center at Loyola University on Thursday, April 26th, an event which principal Kaine Osburn and junior Passang Gongrong attended to listen to the Dalai Lama speak and ask questions.

This privilege was awarded to Osburn and Gonrong because Gonrong’s essay on non-violence was entered into a contest consisiting of an essay response to a question from Dalai Lama.. The Dalai Lama chose her, along with two other local high school students, to attend the event and read her essay out to an audience of 4,000 people.

“I wrote about non-violence and how non-violence counteracts the violence we see and hear about everyday. Schools should teach about nonviolence and also the people who have used the means of nonviolence to win their struggle. I wrote it because my Tibetan teacher at my Tibetan center told me about it. It was such an honor to meet the Dalai Lama and read my essay in front of him and everyone else at the Gentile Center,” said Gonrong.

The Dalai Lama is a religious leader of the Tibetan government and the Gelug school of thought; each Dalai Lama is believed to be a reincarnation of a long line of spiritual leaders who were born to guide others on different parts of life. The current Dalai Lama, known to be the 14th Dalai Lama, is 76 year old Tenzin Gyatso. He preaches non-violence, tolerance of different faiths, and peace. Known as the most famous Buddhist monk, Gyatso lives to show others how non-violence and peace can keep people together and happy. He also speaks to the Tibetan community to keep them motivated and strong.

The Dalai Lama speaks to the youth and tries to convince them that non-violence and peace comes from the person itself, not from outside. If people tried to be less violent and more peaceful themselves, then the effect would show in everyday society and life and even in the world. He strives to show that starting small and going big is the best thing to do in order to have an effect.

Osburn was delighted to have been able to see the Dalai Lama, hear him speak, and even ask him questions. Osburn congratulated the staff and his colleagues and appreciated them in their hard work in making sure this school stays peaceful.

“In her essay, Passang writes about bullying as a form of violence to be combated… You, my colleagues, are making a difference in how the future is to be shaped.  We should be grateful not just for such an opportunity, but to each other for the hard work we do that makes a difference every day,” said Osburn in an e-mail to the  teachers and staff of Niles West.

According to Osburn, he found the Dalai Lama very inspirational. He still hasn’t forgotten the topics and the teachings the Dalai Lama presented during the event, and he doesn’t think he ever will forget. Even though there were so many people at the event, and even though numerous questions were asked, the Dalai Lama answered them all, and Osburn said he gained something from each answer.

“I still think of meeting him and listening to him every day since the 26th.  It was great.  I have been turning over in my head his words daily and remembering how what he said might play a role in my daily life… if each of us took more time to let go of our fears and focus on our inner lives a bit, our external lives would improve,” said Osburn.