This content was published: August 27, 2001. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
Tibetian Studies Classes Scheduled at PCC
Photos and story by James Hill
PORTLAND, Ore. – Three non-credit classes led by Tibetans in exile will be offered this fall by Portland Community College. The classes will be held at Wilson High School, 1151 S.W. Vermont St. PCC is also offering an educational travel program to Tibet in the summer of 2002.Tibetan Buddhism will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, Sept. 25 through Nov. 13, in Room 116. The class will present an overview of the Tibetan forms of Buddhism, its history and practice today, and the life and teachings of the Dalai Lama. The instructor is Gedun Pelsang, who was educated in Tibet and China and studied with Panchen Lama in Beijing. Cost is $72. Pelsang will lead a second class, Tibetan Language and Life – A Link to the Culture, from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursdays, Oct. 4 through Nov. 29, in Room 102. The class will examine the Tibetan language as key to understanding the country’s culture. Participants will gain speaking skills and read selections of Tibetan literature.Tibetan History and Culture will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays, Sept. 26 through Nov. 14, in Room 128. Tashi Tsering, a Tibetan activist who was educated in exile in India, will lead the class. Topics include the history of the Tibetan people, the geography and environment of the area, and the current political situation. Information will also be presented on how to get involved with Tibetan causes.PCC’s educational tour to Tibet will take place Aug. 7-16, 2002. The trip will focus on the history, culture and religion of Tibet, only recently reopened to western travelers. Participants will visit sacred temples and palaces and gain firsthand knowledge about the political and spiritual forces at work in the country. The trip also includes visits with a Tibetan family and religious monks. Cost of the trip is $2,655, which includes airfare from Los Angeles, accommodations, meals and activities. A free informational session on the tour will be held from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 22 at the PCC Central Portland Workforce Center, 1626 S.E. Water Ave. For more information, contact PCC Community Education at 503-731-6622.
About James Hill
James G. Hill, an award-winning journalist and public relations writer, is the Director of Public Relations at Portland Community College. A graduate of Portland State University, James has worked as a section editor for the Newberg Graphic... more »