Dalai Lama cancels US trip

Amherst College and the University of Massachusetts are among the venues the Dalai Lama was supposed to visit during his U.S. trip this coming October. The trip, however, will not push through, with the Tibetan spiritual leader not able to leave the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

The Dalai Lama cancelled his pre-planned U.S. trip following the advice of his doctors. Associated Press confirmed the Dalai Lama’s stay at the Mayo Clinic through the clinic’s spokeswoman, Ginger Plumbo. Plumbo, however, did not give further details on the 80-year old leader’s condition.

His Holiness’ office released a statement saying: "We deeply regret the inconvenience caused by this decision and apologise to all the people who have worked so hard in organising the visit as well as to the public."

Included in the cancelled trip was a visit to the University of Colorado in Boulder and Salt Lake City in Philadelphia. AP reports that the Dalai Lama was supposed to make two appearances at the university on Oct. 20 and 21 to deliver speeches in front of students, teachers and staff. The Dalai Lama was also scheduled to receive an award from the National Constitution Centre in Philadelphia on Oct. 26.

Chime Rigzin, the Dalai Lama’s secretary, said the Dalai Lama will soon be returning to Dharamsala, India, as the results of his tests were fine.

Tenzin Gyatso is the current and 14th Dalai Lama. Though considered a Tibetan spiritual leader, he lives in India as a refugee as a result of the Tibetan uprising in 1959. Unlike his predecessors, the Dalai Lama serves a unique role in international politics as he is the only Dalai Lama to open up as much to the international community.

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