Photographic Reportage

First meeting of the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr Kofi Annan and Lama Gangchen on the occasion of the Interfaith Service held in honour of the new Secretary General and Mrs Annan at St Bartholomews Church, on the 25th of April 1997, New York, USA, organized by the Interfaith Center of New York and the Temple of Understanding. On this occasion Lama Gangchen presented the proposal for a United Nations Spiritual Forum for World Peace to Mr Annan and all participants.

Interfaith Ceremony at St John the Divine, on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary Celebrations of the United Nations on October 21st 1995 in New York, USA. The proposal for a United Nations Spiritual Forum for World Peace was distributed to all the participants.

In Istanbul, Turkey, during the HABITAT II World Summit of the United Nations held from June 3rd to 14th 1996, Lama Gangchen presented the proposal for a United Nations Spiritual Forum for World Peace, to Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr Boutros Boutros Ghali, together with his first book on “The Art of Non-Formal Education for Better Living - New Solutions to Heal the Culture of Violence in the
Third Millennium”.

Meeting the Director General of UNESCO, Federico Mayor Zaragoza, at UNESCO Headquarters, on the occasion of the Advisory Committee Meeting on Education for Peace, Human Rights, Democracy, International Understanding and Tolerance, held in Paris from the 21st to the 23rd of September 1998. During this occasion Lama Gangchen presented to the Director General the proposal as a contribution to the development of a Culture of Peace.

On the 8th of June 1995 at ECLAC (the Latin American Headquarters of the United Nations Economic Commission) in Santiago, Chile. T.Y.S. Lama Gangchen presented the proposal for a United Nations Spiritual Forum for World Peace for the first time to an audience of 150 United Nations officials and special guests.

Presenting the proposal for a United Nations Spiritual Forum for World Peace.to His Excellency Juan Somavia, Ambassador of Chile to the United Nations, on the occasion of the International Peace Day Celebrations in New York, USA, on September 17th 1996.

On the 10th of October 1997, Lama Gangchen was received by Minister J. Brunner, Secretary General of the Chilian Government, at the Presidential Palace in Santiago, Chile, to discuss the implementation of the proposal for a United Nations Spiritual Forum for World Peace.

Private meeting of T.Y.S. Lama Gangchen with His Excellency the President of India, Dr Sharma, at his residence at Rashtrapata Bhawan in New Delhi, India on the 24th of March 1995.

In Caracas, Venezuela, on October 27th 1997, His Excellency the President of Venezuela, Dr Rafael Caldera, received Lama Gangchen at Miraflores, the Presidential Palace, for a private meeting during which Lama Gangchen presented him with the proposal for a United Nations Spiritual Forum for World Peace.

On the 26th of August 1997, Lama Gangchen met with His Excellency the President of Mongolia, Mr Bagabandi, at the State Palace of Ulaan Baatar. The President sent his personal greetings for the success of the First International Congress for the Proposal of a United Nations Spiritual Forum for World Peace, Alternative Medicines and Non-Formal Education organized by the L.G.W.P.F. in Ulaan Baatar from August 27th to 29th 1997.

During a private audience H. H. the Pope John Paul II granted his blessings for the success of the Lama Gangchen World Peace Foundation, at the Vatican in Italy, on January 13th 1993.

Second meeting with his H. H. the Pope John Paul II at the Vatican on October 7th 1998, on the occasion of the Hindu-Christian Interfaith congress held in Parma and Rome from October 3rd to 6th 1998. During the audience Lama Gangchen offered H.H. the Pope the proposal for a United Nations Spiritual Forum for World Peace, requested his blessings for its success, and presented him with the L.G.W.P.F. Peace Award.

Lama Gangchen receiving the Sewa Chakra Award from the hands of Mother Teresa during the Second International AIDS Congress, in Calcutta, India on April 7th 1995.
On April 8th 1995, Lama Gangchen privately met with Mother Teresa at her Charity Home in Calcutta requesting her blessings for the success of the L.G.W.P.F. activities and presented her with the L.G.W.P.F. Peace Award for her outstanding contribution and compassionate dedication to the wellbeing of mankind.

Lama Gangchen discussed the proposal for a United Nations Spiritual Forum for World Peace with the Bishop of London, Richard Chartres, during a private meeting in London, England, in June 1996.

Private meeting with Rabbi Klenecki in New York in September 1996 to discuss the proposal for a United Nations Spiritual Forum for World Peace.

Inter-religious dialogue held at the Rotary Club of Colli Briantei, Italy on March 16th 1999.With Sheik Abd al-Wahid (Islam); Lama Gangchen (Western Buddhism); Dr C. Cecilia Garbarino Salmaso, (President of Rotary); Father Luciano Benetazzo (Catholic) and Elia Kopciowski (Judaism).

Annual LGWPF Congress in Madrid, Spain since 1993
for inter-cultural, inter-disciplinary and inter-faiths dialogue for the promotion of Inner and World Peace
for a Culture of Peace in the third millennium.

Meeting with Nadia Younes, Director of the United Nations Information Center, at her office in Rome, Italy, in October 1996.

Meeting with Robert Muller, Chairman of the Peace University in Costa Rica, during the celebrations of the International Peace Day in New York on September 17th 1996, and presenting him with the proposal for a United Nations Spiritual Forum for World Peace.

During the 50th anniversary celebrations of the United Nations “The Peoples of the United Na-tions” and the Peace March held in Perugia, Italy in September 1995, Lama Gangchen gave the proposal to Betty Wiliams, Nobel Peace Lau-reat, Nadia Younes and all other participants.

On the occasion of the meeting with Nobel Peace Prize Laureat Oscar Arias, Former President of Costa Rica, during the 50th anniversary celebrations of the United Nations.

On the occasion of the International Day for Indigenous People, August 9th 1996, the L.G.W.P.F. in collaboration with the Director of UNIC of Argentina and Uruguay, Angel Escudero de Paz, organized a round table discussion for the United Nations Spiritual Forum for World Peace in Buenos Aires with twenty representatives of different faiths and cultures, and one hundred participants.

On September 22nd 1998, during a private meeting with Dr Dalil Boubakeur, President and the Sheiks of the Mosque of Paris, in France to discuss the implementation of the proposal.

The inter-religious round-table discussion for the proposal of a United Nations Spěritual Forum for World Peace on August 19th 1996 was followed by the first inter-religious Peace Prayer ceremony, with representatives of all major religions as well as indigenous and other peace organizations’ representatives, held at the Monument for Universal Peace in the center of Caracas, Venezuela, jointly organized by the L.G.W.P.F. and the co-ordinator of UNESCO Planeta Libre.

Over fifty representatives of more than thirty organizations participated in the third annual Inter-religious encounter for the Proposal of a United Nations Spiritual Forum for World Peace organized by the L.G.W.P.F. at the Hebraica in Sao Paulo, Brazil on October 5th 1997.

With the President of the Legion of Goodwill, Jose Paiva Netto, at a large annual public gathering of LGW in Rio de Janeiro on August 8th 1998. The President and the organization gave their full support to the Proposal.

Fourth Annual International meeting for the Proposal for a United Nations Spiritual Forum for World Peace at the Hebraica in Sao Paulo Brazil, August 2nd 1998.

On the occasion of the unveiling of a lifesize bronze elephant statue - given to the United Nations by the Governments of Kenya, Namibia and Nepal -, sponsored by the LGWPF in New York on the 18th of November 1998.
“...It teaches us that if our global village is to be a truly desirable place for all of us on this planet, it must be guided by a wish to nurture and preserve, and not to threaten or destroy, the variety of life that gives it value...” Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General.

Presentation of the Spiritual Forum Golden Book Report to Mrs Gillian Sorensen, Assistant Secretary General, specially dedicated to World Peace: one possible solution for the third millennium, during a private meeting at United Nations Headquarters; New York, November 5th 1998.

Peace Sand mandala featuring traditional religious and spiritual symbols for global peace and harmony, as emphasised in the “United Nations Spiritual Forum for World Peace”. A gift to the United Nations, received by Mrs Sorensen on behalf of the Secretary General. November 18th 1998.

Ringing the Children’s Peace Bell at United Nation Headquarters by Father Ignatio Harding and Lama Gangchen, on the occasion of the Earth Day Ceremony at the exact moment of Spring Equinox, in the presence of the Canadian and Iranian Ambassadors as well as an international gathering.
Earlier, during a reception held at Unicef, Lama Gang-chen received the Earth Trustee Award on behalf of his foundation.
New York, March 20th 1999.

Meeting with His Excellency The Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Nepal, Mr G.P. Koirala, and thirty Ministers and Members of Parliament in Kathmandu, March 11th 1999.