Buncrana Buddhist meets Dalai Lama 19.07.07

A BUNCRANA Buddhist has expressed her delight at having met the Dalai Lama during his visit to Derry.
	Nina Quigley was among hundreds of people who gathered in the city to get a glimpse yesterday of His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet. He was in the city as guest of honour and keynote speaker at an international conference on children's rights, to mark the 10th anniversary of Children in Crossfire. Nina who joined a number of Buddhist
followers from Donegal and Derry, was among the few lucky ones the Dalai Lama approached in the crowd. "He held my face in his hands and looked at me. It was a wonderful feeling," she said. The Dalai Lama was received at the Guildhall by the Mayor of Derry, Cllr. Patricia Logue. At a media briefing, the Nobel Laureate urged the conflict zones of the world including Iraq to look at Northern Ireland as an example of how peace can be achieved.

"Now the people have come together and are sharing responsibility. The last time I was here, the atmosphere was very tense. After my previous visit, when I was leaving my heart felt some anxiety - now I am leaving tomorrow morning, I have more peace," he smiled. Children in Crossfire founder, Richard Moore, who was blinded by a British
Army rubber bullet in 1972, welcomed the Dalai Lama to the city the previous day. In an emotional embrace, he held Mr. Moore's face and said: "You are my hero".
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