DHARAMSHALA, September 26: The Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama has cancelled his scheduled trip to the United States next month after Doctors at Mayo Clinic advised him to rest for “the next several weeks”.
The Office of the 80 year old Tibetan leader who recently concluded a nine day UK tour confirmed the cancellation saying it deeply regretted “the inconvenience caused by this decision and apologize to all the people who have worked so hard in organizing the visit as well as to the public.”
“His Holiness the Dalai Lama is in the United States for a medical check-up. The doctors have advised His Holiness to rest for the next several weeks.As a result, His Holiness’ planned October U.S. visit has been cancelled,” a statement on the Tibetan leader’s website said Friday.
Chime Rigzin Choekyapa from the Tibetan leader’s office has told the Associated Press Thursday that His Holiness had been to the clinic and that he had no health complaints. Rigzin told AP test results were fine and the Dalai Lama would soon be returning to Dharamsala, India, his home for the last 56 years.
The University of Colorado, the Tibetan Association of Colorado and the Utah Tibetan Association have been informed of the cancellation Friday by the representative of His Holiness to North America Kaydor Aukatsang.
In Colorado, the Tibetan leader was to deliver a lecture to students and faculty at the University of Colorado on Oct. 20 and Buddhist teaching the following day.
The Salt Lake City visit from Oct. 17-19 included an invitation to a world relations conference, a public talk at the University of Utah and a dedication of the new Tibetan Association Community Center.
The Tibetan leader was to receive an award from the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Oct. 26.
In August, the Tibetan cabinet headed by Prime Minister Lobsang Sangay announced that the 34th Kalachakra (Wheel of Time) slated for January 2016 had been pushed to 2017. It said the Tibetan leader’s hectic itinerary these past few months with his participation in the 80th birthday celebrations and long-life prayer ceremonies around the world and the upcoming eventful calendar as the prime reasons for this decision.
