Dalai Lama to Visit Long Beach Arena Saturday

The Dalai Lama will visit the Long Beach Arena to deliver a speech to the public entitled “Peace of Mind in Troubled Times” Saturday at 1:30 p.m., addressing themes of generosity, humility and equanimity.

Although he is longer the official leader of Tibet after dissolving his leadership a year ago, as the 14th incarnation of the Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso remains the head of Tibetan Buddhism and continues to travel the world advocating for peace, social justice and democracy.

Hosted by a Tibetan Buddhist center located in Long Beach called Gaden Shartse Thubten Dhargye Ling (GSTDL), the Dalai Lama was originally slated to speak at the Long Beach Terrace Theatre last May. Due to travel delays, the event was rescheduled and booked in the larger venue.

“It’s an incredible blessing that His Holiness will be returning to Long Beach. It’s a great privilege for us to host this public talk at the Arena and this will allow many people to see him,” Geshe Lobsang Tsultrim, Director of GSTDL, said in a statement.

Tickets are on sale for $20, $37, $64 and $94, and can be purchased at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center Main Box Office as well as at all TicketMaster locations.

Event sponsorship packages are also available to the public and include a brunch on Friday at the Westin Hotel, preferred seating for the speech on Saturday and a “small gift of recognition” according to a press release. For additional information on sponsorship opportunities, call (562) 726-2789 or email hhdl2012@gstdl.org.

"It is with extraordinary pleasure that we welcome His Holiness back to Long Beach on one of his rare visits," Dan Spellens, Director of Theaters & Entertainment for the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, said in a statement. “We thank Gaden Shartse Thubten Dhargye Ling for working with us on this one-of-a-kind event”