Johannesburg - The Dalai Lama will deliver the inaugural Desmond Tutu International Peace Lecture at the University of the Western Cape on Saturday - via video link.
“The lecture will proceed with His Holiness Dalai Lama joining the event via live video link from Dharamsala, his home-in-exile, in India,” the Desmond Tutu Peace Centre said on Thursday.
The Tibetan spiritual leader, a close friend of Tutu's, cancelled his visit to South Africa after Pretoria failed to grant him a visa in time.
“An empty chair on the stage will symbolise His Holiness' enforced absence,” said the centre's CEO Dumisa Ntsebeza.
Tutu this week lashed out at government for the way in which the visa application made in August had been handled by the Department of International Relations.
Saturday's moderated discussion will centre around the topic “Peace and Compassion as Catalysts for Change”.
The invite-only event will be broadcast live by the SABC, and streamed live over the Internet. - Sapa