His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and the Legacy of Tibetan Buddhism – Festive Conference on 30 April

As part of the global celebration series “Year of Compassion,” held between 7 July 2025 and 6 July 2026 in honour of the 90th birthday of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Dharma Gate Buddhist College is organising a festive in-house conference entitled “His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and the Legacy of Tibetan Buddhism” on 30 April 2026, to which we warmly invite all those interested.

Purpose of the conference

The aim of the conference is to provide a comprehensive and interdisciplinary overview of the life’s work and spiritual legacy of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, as well as of the historical, philosophical, and social significance of Tibetan Buddhism. The programme highlights His Holiness’s efforts to respond to the challenges of the 21st century through secular ethics, compassion-based human values, and the ideals of common humanity and universal responsibility.

The conference will pay particular attention to the philosophical and contemplative traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, their contemporary interpretations, and the role of the Dalai Lama in interreligious dialogue, in fostering cooperation between science and Buddhism, and in the fields of education and social responsibility.

The conference will provide a forum where scholarly reflection and practical application may meet, and seeks to initiate dialogue among representatives of philosophy, religious studies, the social sciences, education, and the natural sciences. A key focus will be the contribution of Buddhist thought to global ethical discourse, with special regard to questions of peace, nonviolence, environmental responsibility, and human well-being.

Who is it for?

The conference is recommended to all those who:

• are interested in Buddhist philosophy, ethics, and contemplative practices,
• are researchers or students working on the history, philosophical traditions, and contemporary role of Tibetan Buddhism,
• are professionals in the fields of religious studies, philosophy, the social sciences, the natural sciences, or education,
• or are open to questions of secular ethics, compassion-based human values, interreligious dialogue, and global responsibility and ethical social action.

The conference seeks to build a bridge between academic research, social dialogue, and the living Buddhist tradition.

Date: Thursday, 30 April 2026, 8:30-17:00
(the closing time of the event may change depending on the number and length of presentations)

Venue: Dharma Gate Buddhist College, 3 Csengettyű Street, Budapest 1098, Hungary
(the College’s new building)

Online participation: The access link will be sent to registered participants on the day before the event.

Please feel free to forward this invitation to colleagues, acquaintances, and students who may be interested in the topic.

Participation in the conference is free of charge, but registration is required.

Please note that photo, video, and audio recordings will be made during the event.

Registration options

Attend the event as a participant

If you would like to join the event either online or in person, please register by midnight on 13 April 2026 via the following form:
https://forms.gle/Jz8sQBH2y8vzwwhY7

Attend the event as a speaker

• Deadline for submission of presentation proposals (abstracts): 13 April 2026, midnight
• The abstract should include the title of the proposed presentation and a summary of approximately 2,000 characters, together with the applicant’s name, institutional affiliation, and position (if applicable).
• Planned length of presentations: 25 minutes
• We intend to publish an edited volume based on the conference materials, the costs of which will be covered by the College.
• There is no registration fee for the conference. The College will provide modest refreshments for participants. Travel and possible accommodation costs must be covered by the speakers themselves.
• The organising committee will send feedback on applications by 16 April 2026.

Speaker registration:
https://forms.gle/4qcrzGAbo5Q9K7ut8

Main themes

• The life’s work and spiritual legacy of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama: philosophical, ethical, and spiritual dimensions (compassion, wisdom, emptiness / śūnyatā, dependent origination), contemporary interpretations of the bodhisattva ideal, global impact and reception.
• The history and schools of Tibetan Buddhism: the characteristics of the four main schools (Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya, Gelug), their philosophical and practical traditions, and the place of Tibetan Buddhism within the context of Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna.
• Secular ethics and universal responsibility: the Dalai Lama’s teaching on secular ethics, the role of fundamental human values (compassion, tolerance, forgiveness, self-discipline) in the 21st century, and ethics beyond religion.
• Compassion and common humanity: global responsibility, interdependence, and the idea of the unity of the human community, including questions of peace, nonviolence, and social dialogue.
• The dialogue between science and Buddhism: the Mind & Life initiative, consciousness studies, neuroscience and meditation, and the interaction between contemplative knowledge and modern science.
• Buddhism, education, and social applications: Social, Emotional, and Ethical Learning (SEE Learning), contemplative pedagogy, mental health, and the role of education in addressing social challenges.
• Tibet, culture, and environmental responsibility: the preservation of Tibetan culture as a global spiritual heritage, the ecological significance of the “Third Pole,” and the relationship between spirituality and environmental ethics.

Programme Committee:
Gábor Karsai, Rector
Dr Orsolya Hoffmann, Vice-Rector for Education and International Relations
Dr Gergely Hidas, Chair of the Scientific Council
Zoltán Cser, Assistant Professor

Contact: Dr Orsolya Hoffmann, hoffmann.orsolya@tkbf.hu

These programmes can be realised thanks to your offering of 1+1% of your tax to us. We are deeply grateful for your support of the Buddhist church and Buddhist education.