Tibetan monks face Canadian visa delays
September 08 2010 by Mario Hannah
Canadian visas - Tibetan monks
The Dalai Lama is due in Toronto in a few weeks time and many Tibetans are eager for his arrival. However, three 'advanced monks' who were hoping to visit Canada in preparation for the visit have experienced delays in obtaining their Canadian visas.
The three monks were scheduled to arrive last weekend to help convert a $3.2 million warehouse into the first Tibetan cultural centre in Canada. The monks were also going to help the Tibetan community in Toronto to prepare for the visit from their spiritual leader.
Namgyal Nangsetsang, a spokesman for the cultural centre explained, "They are currently held up with visa problems. It can be hard to get into Canada, you know."
All three of the monks are currently living in Northern India where they, and the Dalai Lama himself, have been exiled. Two are now stranded in New York, while another is still in India.
The Dalai Lama does not need a Canadian visa as he was made an honorary Canadian citizen back in 2006. He last visited Toronto in 2007 and is due to visit on 22 October, with thousands of Tibetans living in Canada expected to turn out to hear him speak.
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