A Conversation with the 14th Dalai Lama

update 2

About

In March 2024, faculty, staff and students from the Crown Institute, Leeds School of Business, and University of Virginia Contemplative Sciences Center, affiliated with the Dalai Lama Fellows program (DLF), embarked on a profound journey to Dharamsala, India. There, they engaged in a series of inspiring conversations with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, exploring the essence of compassionate leadership and other topics.   

At the heart of this journey lies the Dalai Lama Fellows program, a distinctive one-year fellowshipdedicated to supportingemerging social innovators. By integrating practices of connection, contemplation, and compassion into research and educational programs, the Crown Institute aims to equip future leaders with the community, support and skills neededto address the world's most pressing challenges.  

This journey offered an unparalleled opportunity to humbly seek wisdom and guidance directly from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The meaningful conversations, practices, and learning experiences yielded invaluable insights. These insights, brought back to the three campuses and communities around the world, will enrich our collective knowledge.

Explore the page below for highlights and content from this unforgettable adventure. 

“We were deeply humbled by this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to seek guidance from His Holiness the Dalai Lama and to engage in reflection with undergraduate and global Dalai Lama Fellows and world-renowned scholars about the role of leadership and compassion. Our hope is that the learning from these conversations ripples out across the world, generating compassionate action that leads to a more caring and just future for our world.” - Sona Dimidjian, PhD, Director of the Renée Crown Wellness Institute

Compassion in Action: A conversation on leadership with His Holiness the Dalai Lama reflects our deep commitment to nurturing compassionate leaders and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration. Read more about our recent visit to Dharamsala, India, and the rippling impact it will have in cultivating a more compassionate world.

group photo 2
Sona and HHDL
Meeting HHDL
Meeting HHDL
Meeting HHDL
Meeting HHDL
Meeting HHDL
Meeting HHDL
Meeting HHDL
Meeting HHDL
Meeting HHDL
Meeting HHDL
Meeting HHDL
Julia Zigarelli & HHDL
group photo
Sona Dimidjian, PhD, Director of the Renée Crown Wellness Institute & Dr. Philip P. DiStefano, chancellor at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Photos Courtesy of: Glenn J. Asakawa/University of Colorado and Ven Tenzin Jamphel/The Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama

To view our trip recap reels on Instagram, view here and here

group photo

We extend our deepest gratitude to everyone involved with the Dalai Lama Fellows program on our campus and around the world! The unwavering dedication to this program and its impact was instrumental in realizing this trip which would not have been possible without our collective hearts, heads, and hands.

Related Content