Dharamshala — The Tibetan spiritual leader has cancelled most all of his overseas obligations in the new year, including an upcoming visit to North Carolina, United States.
The Dalai Lama’s Secretary Tenzin Taklha expressed his regrets in a letter to the Raleigh mayor Nancy McFarlane saying, “It is with deep regret that I inform you of a change in His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s schedule, obliging him to cancel the majority of his travels abroad, including the United States of America.
“We understand that there are many plans already in place to support Raleigh’s Compassionate City designation, and His Holiness looks very much forward to support these wonderful initiatives.”
Mayor McFarlane responded that she and her city respects the, “decision to delay all visits to the United States until after 2018. We remain hopeful you will grace us with your presence at a future date and are committed to making such a visit an enriching experience with lasting benefits.”
While there is no medical reason for the cancellation, His Holiness the Dalai Lama stated late in 2017 that he was unable to recover as quickly from the long flights as when he was younger. The Tibetan leader will be 83 in July.
In August of last year, the leader cancelled his trip to Botswana, Africa citing exhaustion and his physician’s advice not to undertake long journeys.
