March 6, 2015
The Yale Himalaya Initiative is pleased to announce that His Holiness the 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje has been awarded Yale’s prestigious Chubb Fellowship for Spring 2015. As the spiritual head of the 900-year-old Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, His Holiness the 17th Karmapa has emerged as an important leader for our time. Since his dramatic escape from Tibet to India in 2000, the Karmapa has played a key role in preserving Tibetan religion and culture. The Karmapa has been described as “a world spiritual leader for the 21st century,” and has inspired millions of people worldwide to take action on social and environmental issues. At the age of 29, the Karmapa’s message has particularly resonated with young people, whom he encourages to take responsibility to create a more compassionate future for the planet.
The Chubb Fellowship is designed to foster an interest in public affairs, especially among Yale College students. The selection of His Holiness the Karmapa as a Chubb Fellow resonates well with the Yale Himalaya Initiative’s mandate to bring together members of the Yale community from all parts of the university to converse on matters relating to the Himalayan region.
As part of the Fellowship, His Holiness the Karmapa will deliver a public address on Tuesday, April 7, 2015 at 4:00 pm (the location has yet to be determined). The talk is titled “Compassion in Action—Buddhism and the Environment: a conversation with His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje.” The lecture is free and open to the public. Further details about the venue and ticketing will be posted here soon.
His Holiness the Karmapa’s visit to Yale includes a four day program jointly sponsored by the Chubb Fellowship, the Yale Himalaya Initiative, the Department Religious Studies, and the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. In addition to his public talk, His Holiness will meet with the University President and participate in variety of student life activities.
Previous Chubb Fellows include Nobel Peace Prize laureates Leymah Gbowee and Aung San Suu Kyi, actors such as Shah Rukh Khan and Morgan Freeman, and the current United States Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power.
For more information about His Holiness the Karmapa click here.
For more information on the Chubb Fellowship click here.