Conference Day 6

The final day of the conference was Sunday, April 20.  The weather for the day started dark and stormy with thunder, lightning and rain around daybreak.  However, by 9 am, the skies cleared and I started my walk down to the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives for the last time.  As I made my way down the street, I joined a group of nuns who were also headed to the library.  We stayed mostly on the street on our walk until the end when we traveled on a small trail.

Inside the Tibet Museum

First on the agenda was a tour of the Tibet Museum.  The Tibet Museum, located just across from the library, is a multimedia exhibit of the people, land and culture of Tibet.  I strongly suggest that if you are in Dharamsala that you visit this excellent museum.

When everyone made it through the museum, the monks and nuns gathered on the grass of the Central Tibetan Administration to showcase their debate method for a film crew.  The monks took turns making their points.  Then it was the nuns turn to debate.

After lunch, conference participants divided into four groups: nuns, monks, abbots and western science teachers. Our charge was to discuss our ideas for the future of the Science for Monks and Nuns Monks program.  The program has been around for 25 years and staff wanted to know where we all thought the program should go in the next years. The afternoon ended with a cultural dance and song show put on by the library staff.  They not only danced and sang, but some performers played traditional Tibetan instruments. 

Finally, it was time to say goodbye.  I thanked the conference organizers and bid farewell to some monks I had not seen for 15 years and to some monks and nuns who I just met this trip.