'Fighters for world peace'

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet drew a crowd of at least 3,000 Sunday to the Tibetan Cultural Center in Bloomington for the dedication of the interfaith Chamtse Ling temple and a community forum on world peace.\n"I believe that all the religious traditions have the same potential and capacity to work for peace," the Dalai Lama said. "This coming together for a common purpose gives me great pleasure."\nThe day-long event began with the dedication, ribbon-cutting and invocation ceremonies performed by the exiled Buddhist leader. United Nations Messenger of Peace Muhammad Ali played an important role throughout the day by participating in the ceremonies, the afternoon panel discussion with area youths and the planting of a beech tree outside the 10,000 square-foot temple.\n"I want to say thank you to Mr. Muhammad Ali for his support of this event," said Jigme Norbu, son of Thubten Norbu. Thubten is a retired IU professor, brother of the Dalai Lama and founder of the TCC. \n"His Holiness, you are two champion fighters. That is, fighters for world peace," Jigme said.\nPatrick O'Meara, dean of IU's Office of International Programs, made presentations to Ali, Thubten and his wife Kunyang Norbu and the Dalai Lama in the afternoon.\nMusical invocations were interspersed throughout the day by cellist Michael Fitzpatrick and flutist Lisa McDuff. The chamber choir of the IU Children's Choir also performed in the afternoon.\nOther special guests included First Lady of Indiana Judy O'Bannon and Congresswomen Julia Carson and Baron Hill.\n"I will just represent one world as a nation under God with liberty and justice for all people," Carson said. The crowd cheered as she said, "I am going to try and bring Congress … to release all (Tibetan) prisoners."\nBrenda Somes and her husband Grant Somes, both of Memphis, Tenn. but originally from Bloomington, decided to visit for the event.\n"We'd like to see him meet with the world leaders," Brenda said. "They should work on freeing the prisoners. They should work harder on that."\nMembers of the audience said the Dalai Lama's primary point was to take responsibility and work for peace within individual communities. \n"(The Dalai Lama) had a very good message -- to work for peace, to start with yourself and work outward," Cincinnati resident Mike Middendorf said.\nElaine Mellencamp, model and wife of Bloomington resident John Mellencamp, had a similar message during the afternoon panel discussion with four area youths who won an essay and poetry contest based on the theme, "Let Peace Begin with Me: I Make a Difference."\n"No matter how insignificant we may feel in the face of a problem, history has been changed by an individual time and time again," Mellencamp said.\nCasside Hart was one of the four Bloomington youths to earn the honor.\n"Advocating world peace is not just about peace demonstrations," she said. "It's about demonstrating peace to everyone we come into contact with."\nFifteen representatives from a variety of religions spoke to the crowd, and many made donations of religious symbols to be placed in the new temple.\n"May we see the day when war and bloodshed cease," Rabbi Mira Wasserman said. "We have not come into being to hate and destroy. We have come into being to praise and to labor and to love."\nThe Dalai Lama told the crowd he appreciated the attendance of leaders from a wide range of religious faiths.\n"It gives me great pleasure to be able to share … the dedication ceremony with representatives from all the major religions," the Dalai Lama said. \nAudience members seemed pleased with his personality.\n"I appreciated the fact that he had so much humor," Cincinnati resident Melissa Middendorf said. "He's very human and accessible in the way he approaches people."\nBut beyond his humor, the audience seemed to understand his message.\n"He's such a historic figure. Who knows when he would be able to come back again," freshman Tara Nay said. "Bloomington has always been very culturally-enriched, and I think this will tie us all together."\n-- Contact staff writer Michelle Perry at meperry@indiana.edu.