The Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual leader in exile, has joined Google Plus, and he’s hosting a live Hangout tomorrow with Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The conversation is part of the inaugural Desmond Tutu Peace Lecture in Cape Town, South Africa. It’s an On Air Hangout, so there’s no limit to the number of viewers.
The Hangout will be held tomorrow (Saturday, October 8) at 10:30 a.m. South African time (GMT +2:00). Unfortunately for U.S. readers, that’s 4:30 a.m. Eastern, 1:30 a.m. Pacific. Google SVP Vic Gundotra says the video will be available shortly thereafter. You can follow the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Google Plus.
Greetings from His Holiness the Dalai Lama on the occasion of Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s 80th birthday on October 7, 2011.
The Dalai Lama is unable to attend the lecture in person, because the South African government has not responded to his application for a visa multiple times. Official acknowledgement of the Dalai Lama’s legitimacy is politically sensitive, since it can be perceived as an affront to China. In refusing to grant the Dalai Lama entry, the South African government may be capitulating to that pressure. The Hangout will provide the opportunity for these two global spiritual leaders to converse remotely.
As an exiled leader, as well as a worldwide figure, the Web is an important part of the Dalai Lama’s outreach. He has maintained a Twitter presence (@DalaiLama) since 2010, and he has a Facebook page with over 2 million fans. He spoke to ecademy that year about his views on social media:
“Alongside our natural ability to empathize with others, we also have a need for others’
kindness, which runs like a thread throughout our whole life. It is most apparent when we are young and when we are old, but we have only to fall ill to be reminded how important it is to be loved and cared about, even in our prime …years.”
The 14th Dalai Lama has been in exile in India since 1959 after Tibet was annexed by China. Desmond Tutu is a South African activist and retired Anglican bishop who has been a longtime champion of human rights causes.
Follow the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Google Plus for more updates.
