Because our last report in October was a summary of the Board’s week-long meeting at Kopan it was long and covered a broad range of topics. This update is just that: an overview of the things that members of the Board have been putting a great deal of time and effort into because they are the current priorities. So, although the following is much less extensive than the previous report, we have certainly not forgotten other items and concerns. They will be addressed one by one as time permits and we shall continue to inform you of our progress.

 This time we would like to update you on the plans for the FPMT Geshe Conference and the preparations for the CPMT meeting in 2025, tell you about Board participation in Regional and National meetings, and express our great appreciation to Claire Isitt for her years of dedication as Center Services Director. 

FPMT Geshe Conference 2024

The FPMT Geshe Conference will take place at Kopan Monastery from January 9 – 11, 2024, after which some pujas and pilgrimages are planned in and around Kathmandu. At the time of writing this, 21 geshes from centers around the world have registered and there will be 10 geshes, monks and nuns from Kopan attending. Kopan monastery and Khenrinpoche hosting and Board member Ven. Thubten Pemba, Ven. Geshes Thubten Sherab (USA) and Ven. Losang Yeshe Michael (Sweden) are the main organizer and facilitators, with Ven. Geshe Thubten Sherab (headmaster of Kopan School) as secretary for the conference. 

 This will be the first meeting of the FPMT geshes in several years and it is especially meaningful for them to get together in this time of transition. The agenda items cover topics about the experience, wishes and suggestions of the geshe las, explanations of the policies of the FPMT organization, and discussion on how to best work together to bring success in their service at the centers and to realize the aims of H.H. Dalai Lama, Lama Thubten Yeshe, and Lama Zopa Rinpoche.  

 We are pleased and honored that H.H. Gaden Tri Rinpoche and H.E. Ling Rinpoche will be offering advice to all attending.

 Most of the FPMT Inc. Board will be present: Khenrinpoche Geshe Chonyi (abbot of Kopan), Ven. Thubten Pemba, Ven. Roger Kunsang, Dale Davis, and Karuna Cayton. Many will help with presentations for and/or discussions with the participants.

 We look forward to a very informative and productive getting together of some of the most important teachers in the FPMT.  A summary of what is discussed and concluded will be shared with you soon. 

Advancing Our Gurus’ Vision of a World Guided by Compassion and Wisdom: Planning the CPMT Meeting in 2025 

As His Holiness the Dalai Lama has reminded us, Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche made the precious mind of enlightenment the foundation of his practice and if we model our lives in this way, we will definitely fulfill his wishes. Planning the FPMT’s future offers all of us members of the FPMT family a tremendous opportunity to work together to sustain Rinpoche’s and Lama’s vision and realize FPMT’s untapped potential to benefit the world.  

Planning for the next CPMT is envisioned as a collaborative process of inquiry and consultation involving regional and national coordinators, center boards, directors, SPCs, staff, volunteers, and students. The process will unfold in stages designed to inspire fresh thinking and gather our collective wisdom and experience to create an inspiring and productive CPMT and produce a strategic plan for the FPMT.   

The FPMT Inc. Board and International Office (IOF) will coordinate the planning process and provide virtual tools to maximize global participation of FPMT members in developing the CPMT agenda and enhancing leadership at all levels of the FPMT organization. The aim is to fulfill our mission to create opportunities to listen, reflect, meditate, practice, and actualize the unmistaken teachings of the Buddha, and based on that experience, spread the Dharma to sentient beings.

 The planning is as follows:

• The consultative process will begin in a few days, with an online survey that will be sent to all FPMT directors, regional and national coordinators, spiritual program coordinators, study group coordinators, affiliate board members and registered teachers. A survey for students will also be shared with students in a blog and on the website in January, so it is widely accessible.  We will then collate the responses and prepare a draft strategic framework by March 2024.
• This will be followed by consultations on the ground with facilitators François from the IOF and Karuna and Dale from the FPMT Inc. Board. The agenda and discussions will be based on the priorities that emerge from the survey responses and the meetings will begin in late April and ideally be completed in September. We are now consulting the regional and national coordinators to discuss the organization and the sequence of these meetings. Tentatively, we envisage four main meetings: Europe – inclusively; North America – with Latin America; Australia – with New Zealand; and East and South East Asia – with South Asia.
•  This all will culminate in a CPMT meeting in April 2025. We believe that this process will provide the opportunity to listen, share, discuss and co-create a strategy for the FPMT as an organization as we go forward together. This aspiration is reflected in the name given to the meeting: Advancing Our Gurus’ Vision of a World Guided by Compassion and Wisdom. 

Board Participation at Regional and National Meetings

The FPMT Inc. Board feels that it is vital to communicate with those working at all levels in the centers, projects and services. In the past, often one Board member was present at regional or national meetings but in this time of transition, with so many questions being asked and so many concerns voiced, we feel that it is essential to use the opportunities presented by these meetings to have more direct communication with center directors and others. For this reason, several national and regional centers made time available to Board members. Those of us who were able to attend varied according to region, time zone and availability. However, in the last few months we have taken part in the Spanish National Meeting, New Zealand National Meeting, Italian National Meeting, the East and Southeast Asian Regional meeting and the UK National meeting. People seemed to appreciate this participation and hopefully the Board members were able to give an idea of our plans, answer questions and generally provide context to some of the situations we are all facing.

Skies of Thanks to Claire

As you probably know, after 23 years of dedicated service as Center Services Director, Claire Isitt has decided to move on and will leave the FPMT International Office team in mid-December. 

 Helping to find geshes and translators for centers, taking care of sorting out their papers and travel, dealing with enormous amounts of communications, providing Rinpoche and Ven. Roger with information and help with all manner of things, working tirelessly to develop and administer FPMT policies (often a thankless job!) – the list of what she has done over the years to support and provide service to the FPMT is endless. She took responsibility for the role and truly did serve the centers all over the world. 

 Ven. Roger has written: ”We are immensely grateful to Claire for her invaluable service in this role, and in many other roles in the organization before that, starting in 1989 and including 3 years as SPC in Tushita Dharamsala, 3 years as director of LRZTP, and 2 years as manager in Jamyang London.”.  The FPMT Inc. Board of Directors fully concur. We would also like to offer our sincere, deepest thanks for all she has done and wish her happiness and good health in the future.  

In Conclusion

The past year has been one of profound change for all of us. The passing of our perfect source of inspiration, refuge and guidance, Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche, touched us all and affected us deeply. The FPMT Board of Directors is committed to fulfilling the vision and wishes of our holy guru by continuing to work with the centers, monastic institutions, projects and services to preserve Rinpoche’s legacy and further the spreading of the Dharma to benefit all sentient beings. Lama Thubten Yeshe’s and Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche’s aspirations continue to manifest in countless ways throughout the FPMT and we remain grateful for all that you do to help both preserve their lineage and help it prosper.

May 2024 be a year that brings peace in this world. May the emanation of compassion, H.H. the Dalai Lama, enjoy stable good health. May all our respected teachers and their students also be healthy and have success in their practice.  May all of the FPMT organization flourish and bring benefit to all.

The FPMT Inc. Board of Directors:
Khenrinpoche Geshe Chonyi
Ven. Pemba Sherpa
Ven. Roger Kunsang
Dale Davis
Karuna Cayton
Paula de Wijs-Koolkin

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.