School will dim lights tonight in spiritual leader’s honor
By ANDREA JONES
Emory University is gearing up today for its weekend with the Dalai Lama, and the university will dim its lights in his honor tonight.
Key buildings will go dark between 9 and 9:30 p.m. tonight to promote energy conservation and to welcome His Holiness.
On campus Friday, Emory grad student Lindsay Hopkins said she’s been hearing about the Dalai Lama’s visit since she applied for school in February.
“People are definitely excited,” said Hopkins, who plans to attend the Tibetan spiritual leader’s inaugural lecture on Monday morning, where he will be formally installed as an Emory professor.
For weeks, Emory students have been reporting sightings of the Dalai Lama on campus — not realizing the maroon and saffron robed figures they have been seeing are actually local monks preparing for his visit.
Sarah Stein, a graduate student from Minnesota, said she watched a PBS special on the Dalai Lama’s visit and said she’s disappointed she’ll be too busy to attend any of the events.
“It’s really wonderful and important that he will be here,” she said.
Emory will turn off the lights at residence halls, campus buildings and the central quad tonight.
Ciannat Howett, Emory’s director of Sustainability Initiatives, said the event is an expression of thanks for the Dalai Lama’s visit and a “collective act of mindfulness that our behavior yields implications for the environment.”
The school is encouraging alumni worldwide to dim their lights during the time period.
