(TibetanReview.net, May06, 2014) – The Dalai Lama on May 4 arrived in Riga, capital of the Baltic state of Latvia, to give two religious teachings over the next two days. Those who welcomed him at the airport included members of ‘Save Tibet – Latvia’ and ‘Save Tibet – Russia’ and their spiritual director Telo Tulku.
The teachings are on the ‘Heart Sutra’ and the ‘37 Practices of Bodhisattvas’ and being given in the Kipsala International Exhibition Centre.
May 4 is also Latvia’s Restoration of Independence Day. Latvia had earlier declared itself an independent republic in 1918 but was annexed to the former USSR dominated by Russia. Following the USSR’s breakup, Latvia declared the restoration of its independence on May 4, 1990.
After Riga, the Dalai Lama visits Norway’s capital Oslo from May 7 to 9, followed by trips to The Netherlands and Frankfurt, Germany, where he will concluded his current 11-day tour of Europe. The tour will be dominated by religious teachings, public talks, a school event, a philosophical discussion and meetings with lawmakers as well as opposition political leaders.