We are excited to announce that our founder, Tenzin Ösel Hita, will soon be visiting our Global Tree Initiative (GTI) Australia community and GTI Partner, Atisha Buddhist Centre.

The Australian visit is planned for December this year, when Ösel will lead a Habit Alignment Key (HAK) retreat. The retreat will take place at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, where more than 50 trees have been planted and dedicated previously.

Photos of a previous tree-planting at the Great Stupa

Our two dedicated GTI Australia coordinators, Mark Allaway and Jill Lancashire, are busy planning a planting event with Ösel at the Kadampa Stupa site, and they are also busy raising funds to facilitate a meeting between Ösel and the First Nations People of the Bendigo region, the Dja Dja Wurrung.

Developments at the Kadampa Stupa site in Australia

Mark tells us that “GTI Australia and our partner organization, Atisha Buddhist Meditation Centre, are jointly sponsoring a traditional Welcome to Country by the First Nations People of the Bendigo region, the Dja Dja Wurrung.

We are hoping to raise 2,500 AU$ for this event, but the total is flexible, depending on support and the extent of involvement with the First Nations People. The minimum actions we are planning, are a Welcome and Smoking ceremony and a didgeridoo performance, which will take place at the opening of the retreat. This will require a minimum of around 1,500 AU$.”

Earlier this year, Mark and Jill did a Walk For The Trees fundraiser for the GTI, and they told us more about the First Nations People.

You are invited to read more about GTI Australia’s plans to welcome Ösel, and to make a donation in support of this event. So far, nearly 1,000 AU$ have been raised, with a big thanks to Zopa Noble Park Buddhists who has been the top contributor so far.

Visit the HAK website to learn more about the upcoming retreats happening, and follow the GTI Australia Facebook page to stay up to date with Ösel’s visit to our GTI Australia community,

For questions about GTI Australia, get in contact with Mark and Jill.

More news to follow soon.