By Tenzin Monlam

DHARAMSHALA, February 15: Mayor Greg Fischer of Louisville and Mayor Tom Tait of Anaheim, California, will be visiting Dharamshala to call on the Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama as a part of their 10-day India tour.

The two mayors will meet with members of India’s business community, interfaith and community leaders. It also includes meeting with government, media and thought leaders to discuss approaches to making cities safer and communities stronger amid the rise of extremist groups around the globe.

Along with the agenda of promoting their cities for potential business opportunities, the mayors also aim at promoting compassion. Mayor Fischer said, “Visits like this are great opportunities to promote our city. Our focus on compassion is something that resonates worldwide and is so relevant in today’s world.”

Organized by the international Strong Cities Network (SCN), a global network of mayors, the organization said that the two mayors were chosen for this trip because their focus on compassion in their respective cities.

“Anaheim’s City of Kindness initiative parallels Louisville Compassionate City efforts,” said Rebecca Skellett, SCN Manager, “This is why we’re delighted to be taking these two US Mayors to Delhi, Mumbai and Dharamsala - to share their journeys, inspire Indian cities and policy makers, and learn more about how India’s diverse range of communities live together side by side.”

Both the mayors have met the Nobel Peace Laureate during the latter’s US visit and have received praises from the ‘champion of peace’ for their respective initiatives to promote compassion and peace.

“We are honored that His Holiness the Dalai Lama has embraced what we are doing in Anaheim. His words to us sum it up perfectly: ‘Creating cultures of kindness and compassion throughout the world is the key to achieving world peace,’” said Mayor Tait.

His Holiness first visited Louisville in 2013 and his second scheduled trip to the city last year got canceled on his doctor’s advice to rest. However, the 82-year-old exiled Tibetan spiritual leader met with Mayor Tait in June last year in Newport Beach, California.