Message to IFIH
Received from
the Secretary
to
His Holiness
the Dalai Lama
“This
is to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 13, 2001 addressed to His
Holiness the Dalai Lama regarding your intention to set up an International Forum
for India’s Heritage. Although His Holiness has not had the time to go through
the notes you had sent, His Holiness feels the concept behind the forum, as
explained in your letter, is similar to what he has believed in. Whether it is
the Indians, Tibetans or others if we are concerned about the preservation of
our cultural heritages we ourselves must make the effort. If we ourselves can
retain our cultural values then we do not need to fear about cultural invasions
from other cultures. This is also one of the objectives of your International
Forum for India’s Heritage. His Holiness also likes the idea that this will be
a forum for eminent and respected Indians to come and act together.
“Your idea of
introducing the basic values of the Indian heritage in the Indian educational
system is also an idea that His Holiness shares. His Holiness believes that if
we have to preserve and cultivate human values and our cultural heritage we
need to do this from the very beginning which is from the homes and educational
institutions. I am therefore happy to inform you that His Holiness supports
your idea about the International Forum for India’s Heritage.”