ITHACA, N.Y. -- Its been nearly 10 years since The Dalai Lama last visited Ithaca, But just south of Ithaca College sits the Tibetan Buddhist Monastery that honors his presence in North America. Just this month, Namgyal Monastery leaders were bestowed an honor of celebrating his peacemaking work even more.
"His name of his Holiness Dalai Lama's Library and Museum here so he delightedly accepted our proposal," Tenzin Choesang President of the Namgyal Monastery said.
Monks celebrated the announcement during his birthday. This will be the 14th museum and library dedicated to the Dalai Lama in the world. Leaders say Ithaca is a perfect location.
"Ithaca is a very unique place. You know we can say that it is an education area, education center," Choesang said.
Visitors will have a wide range of access to the Dalai Lama's works.
"We're going to have all of his books that exist in different languages And also his audio teachings," Choesang said.
The museum will showcase what has made the Dalai Lama such a world-renowned peace maker.
"He received more than 160 awards, different awards from all over the world And also I think we're going to have lots of his precious belongings," Choesang said.
Allowing for the entire new facility to emphasize the Dalai Lama's influence in philosophy and science with an already flourishing education community. Monastery leaders are drafting designs at this time and they're hoping the Dalai Lama himself will visit in the not too distant future to see their progress.
"Hopefully we will have already started to build library and museum and also he can consecrate this complex," Choesang said.
There has been no official announcement at this time of any visit by the Dalai Lama to Ithaca in the upcoming year.