Mayor Richard K. Sullivan met his Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso at Barnes Municipal Airport on May 9 where they exchanged gifts. According to Sullivan, the Dalai Lama seemed genuinely pleased with his gift, the key to the city and was a very warm and kind seeming soul. "He was extremly gracious," Sullivan said. "He makes everyone around him very relaxed and he has a good sense of humor. We shook hands and he gave me a hug. You can tell that there is something very special about the individual. Something that I will never forget." The Dalai Lama presented Sullivan with a prayer scarf. The Dalai Lama then proceeded to Northampton, where he was scheduled to speak at Smith College. According to Sullivan the State Department set up the formal greeting.
|
