The Dalai Lama waves as he leaves the stage after his talk, "Develop the Heart: A talk with his Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama," held on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2014, at the Princeton University gymnasium in Princeton, N.J. (Photo Courtesy of Michael S. Wirtz/Philadelphia Inquirer/MCT)ASU's Project Humanities received high praise from the Dalai Lama with a letter encouraging the organization to continue its work creating many programs and activities that emphasize talking, listening and connecting with others.
Humanity 101, a program under Project Humanities, has been reaching out to celebrities and everyday people to share information about the program that focuses on human goodness and the possibility of humans doing better, Director of Project Humanities Neal Lester said.
“We sent a packet of Humanity 101 materials via U.S. mail to an address that a student intern found and that packet also included my business card with my email address,” he said.
Lester said when he received an email, he initially thought it was a prank. Included in the email was a scan of the signed endorsement from the Dalai Lama with a note that the hard copy would be coming soon, which it did.
“It was a true surprise and a most pleasant one,” he said.
Lester said he sent a return email and will follow up with a return note of gratitude. He also said he would love for ASU students to sign their Humanity 101 pledge and do better to be better.
Business communication sophomore Siddarth Goel said he was excited Project Humanities received a letter from the Dalai Lama. Goel is an international student from India and knows all about the Dalai Lama and his teachings.
“Back where I’m from a lot of people follow the Dalai Lama and his teachings,” he said. “Never did I think coming here I would see Americans reaching out to him.”
Business communication sophomore Fletcher Hill said he was also surprised to see the Dalai Lama wrote a letter to the Project Humanities group.
“I can’t remember where, but I had seen online that he sent ASU a letter,” he said. “I just wasn’t sure for what or to who.”
Hill also said he knows a good deal about the Dalai Lama because during his freshman year, one of his classes required him to write a research paper on him. He said the Dalai Lama’s teachings are nonviolence and are actually a good set of morals to follow.
“I believe in Jesus Christ, but I still believe there is nothing wrong with using some of the Dalai Lama’s teachings in your life,” he said.
Reach the reporter at William.a.parker@asu.edu
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