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| Who we are > Frequently Asked Questions | ||
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Who are the people behind The Dalai Lama Foundation? Is The Dalai Lama formally sponsoring this organization? How did The Dalai Lama Foundation get started? Doesn't the Dalai Lama already have many foundations? What is the purpose of The Dalai Lama Foundation? Why is The Dalai Lama Foundation needed? Why will this new organization be able to make a difference? How is The Dalai Lama Foundation going to make a difference? Is The Dalai Lama Foundation a Buddhist organization? How is The Dalai Lama Foundation funded? How is The Dalai Lama Foundation organized? Who are the people behind The Dalai Lama Foundation? The initiative to establish The Foundation was being led by a core founding group, numbering about twenty, that includes both long-time friends and supporters of the Dalai Lama and also members of the Silicon Valley business community. A Board of Directors has been elected and there is a small central staff. Is the Dalai Lama formally sponsoring this organization? The Dalai Lama was apprised of the endeavor in July, 2001, both by letter from the original core group and in person by Professor Jeffrey Hopkins, who has known and worked with the Dalai Lama for over 30 years. A formal response was received shortly afterward, stating that the Dalai Lama, while usually “not keen at all to establish a center, foundation or institute,” in this case “welcomes your proposal to set up such a foundation.” How did The Dalai Lama Foundation get started? Beginning in the spring of 2001, in anticipation of the visit to the Bay Area by the Dalai Lama, a handful of individuals began meeting to share ideas and develop a strategy for how we could apply our collective skills and knowledge to help further the work of His Holiness. Out of this series of meetings, which took place over the course of several months, The Dalai Lama Foundation was born. Doesn't the Dalai Lama already have many foundations? Until now, the Dalai Lama has set up only two institutions on his own personal initiative. One is The Charitable Trust of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, which was set up in the early 1960's as a necessary legal entity to channel assistance to Tibetan refugees, and continues to function in this way even today. The other is The Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, New Delhi, established with the funds from the Nobel Peace Prize received by His Holiness in 1989. The goals of the Foundation for Universal Responsibility and the Dalai Lama Foundation are very closely aligned. There are also a large number of educational, cultural, religious, and humanitarian institutions and organizations that exist among the exile Tibetan community with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in some honorary role as patron, chair or advisor. The Dalai Lama Foundation is working closely with the Foundation for Universal Responsibility and the other organizations allied with the Dalai Lama and Tibet. What is the purpose of the Dalai Lama Foundation? The long-term vision of the Dalai Lama Foundation is to develop a financially-endowed, international foundation, one that plays a significant role as both thought leader and change agent in areas of concern to all of us, including peace, how people of different faiths and cultures can live together in today's interconnected world, and how to promote happiness and human development for all in an increasingly technical, market-driven world. Why is The Dalai Lama Foundation needed? Today there is an emerging awareness that in today’s deeply globalized world the stakes have been starkly raised. We face a new order of threats to our survival, including global warming, weapons of mass destruction, asymmetrical warfare, and global plagues. At the same time, ideas of democracy and technologies of communication mean we have unprecedented possibilities for extending freedom and prosperity throughout the globe. In the aftermath of September 11, There is a sense that the U.S. is fully awakening to its connection to the global community, and a deep sense that we truly do now live in one interdependent world. Especially in these times, with the national and international conversation focusing, as it must, on issues of security, it is important to do the serious work of understanding and eliminating the root causes of violence. The Dalai Lama Foundation will endeavor to be a new resource to all those working to promote peace and reduce violence, conflict, and human suffering. Why will this new organization be able to make a difference? We all want peace. And we all know intuitively that in practice real peace is difficult to bring about. Why should we hope that this new organization will be able to make a difference? Two factors give the Dalai Lama Foundation a rare opportunity to take effective action to strengthen the world’s capacity for peace and ethics:
How is The Dalai Lama Foundation going to make a difference? We are building this organization from the ground up and have already established a strong base, which includes a unique, direct relationship with His Holiness and the direct involvement of the very capable people already committed to this effort. In addition, we have access to extraordinary human and capital resources, with strong ties in Silicon Valley and throughout the Bay Area. Finally, we can and will call on the thousands of people throughout the world who have been inspired by the Dalai Lama over the years, and invite them to join in our effort. In this historical moment, marshalling the moral force of the Dalai Lama and the energy and expertise of many who have been inspired by him, we will raise a strong voice articulating an ethic of mutual respect and care based on a recognition of our shared humanity. And by applying the principles of innovation, leverage and measurability stressed in best practices from the business world, we will ensure that that voice makes a difference. Is The Dalai Lama Foundation a Buddhist organization? The Dalai Lama Foundation will engage with the public as an organization that reaches out to everyone concerned with the importance issues facing humanity, not limited to a particular religion or political perspective. This is consistent with the approach taken by the Dalai Lama over the years in his writings and teachings, that ethical principles, while universal to various religious traditions, need not be founded on religious premises. How is The Dalai Lama Foundation funded? The initial activities of the Foundation have been funded by the core founding members and friends and supporters in Northern California. In time, support for the Peace and Ethics Curricula, Peace Laureates Institute and other programs sponsored by the Foundation will come from major donors, foundation grants, and a large international membership. At this point in the Foundation’s development, financial resources are essential to allow us to build a core infrastructure and to develop programs, build partnerships, secure ongoing funding, and begin to realize the great potential represented by this new foundation. If you would like to help support the work of The Dalai Lama Foundation at this crucial early stage, your donation of any amount would be most welcome. Donations are tax deductible. Click here to find out how. How is The Dalai Lama Foundation organized? Established in 2002 as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, the Dalai Lama Foundation is an international foundation headquartered in Redwood City, California. It has a board of directors and a mix of paid and volunteer staff. To learn more about how you can help, contact us by email at volunteer@dlfound.org. |
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