He will visit Dunedin, Christchurch and Auckland, from June 10-12, the Dalai Lama Visit Trust New Zealand announced yesterday.
"It's like all our wishes have come true. All our lamas and our community feel very closely connected with [him]," Dhargyey Buddhist Centre director Peter Small, of Dunedin, said.
"I've spoken to the stadium and the booking is pencilled in. We think that it's the place to do it, although we cannot be 100% sure it will be held there until we get confirmation from the Dalai Lama Visit Trust," he said.
"It will be a generalised public talk, which will be inclusive of everybody who wants to come. He believes strongly in harmony among religions and is focused on the goodness in humanity, rather than trying to make everyone Buddhists. He wants everybody to live happy, contented and ethical lives."
The Dalai Lama last visited Dunedin in 1996, after the death of his friend and Dunedin Buddhist Centre founding lama Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey.
"They had a special relationship and he subsequently consecrated our stupa out on the peninsula. He stayed for three days at the Buddhist Centre, which was quite an unusual thing for him to do," Mr Small said.
The Dalai Lama first visited Dunedin in 1992, when he conducted his first teaching in New Zealand.
On both occasions, he held public talks in the Dunedin Town Hall.
