ROBERT AND NENA THURMAN ENDOWMENT FUND
HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA
“I feel that Tibetan culture with its unique qualities has developed a kind of energy which is very helpful for cultivating peace of mind and a joyful life. There is a potential for Tibet to help humanity, and particularly our Eastern neighbor, where millions of young Chinese have lost their spiritual values. In this way, I feel very strongly that Tibetan culture will have a role to play in the future of humanity.”
-- His Holiness the Dalai Lama
TIBET HOUSE US
SUMMARY
This prospectus seeks support for the Nena and Robert Thurman Endowment Fund of Tibet House US. Tibet House US is the Cultural Center of H. H. the Dalai Lama in the USA. It serves as an educational and cultural institution preserving and promoting Tibetan culture in the United States. For nearly forty years, Nena and Robert Thurman have voluntarily developed Tibet House US with the help of many other volunteers and a small but dedicated staff. As they are now approaching retirement, the Board has decided that an endowment of USD $10 million will sustain ongoing operations of Tibet House US, continuing to make the unique Tibetan culture available to future generations.
Official Tibet Houses, the original in New Delhi and this second Tibet House in the USA, were founded by H. H. the Dalai Lama to serve as “Cultural Embassies,” destination information centers, libraries, galleries, and support foundations. They stand in major cities, representing the existence of the Tibetan nation, its people and culture, in this era when the Chinese occupation of the Tibetan homeland prevents any sort of official diplomatic representation.
TIBET HOUSE US SUMMARY
In 1991, Tibet House US initiated The International Year of Tibet as a worldwide celebration of Tibetan culture, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Religion and Culture of the Tibetan Government in Exile in Dharamsala, India. This international movement was celebrated in over 36 countries with more than 7,000 different events and activities. The Year of Tibet became a Decade of Tibet centered around the Tibet House US’ Tibetan Sacred Art Exhibition which was mounted in 1991-1992 in San Francisco, New York, and London, and in 1997-1998 in Bonn, Barcelona, Tokyo and two other venues in Japan, and Taipei and two other venues in Taiwan. Since then, activities have been jointly undertaken with many museums, universities, and institutions including the American Museum of Natural History, Harvard University, Asia Society, Columbia University, and the New York Open Center, among others. These collaborations focus on Tibetan “Inner Sciences” of psychology, philosophy, ethics, and meditation. Beginning in the 1990s, Tibet House US began the dialogues with modern scientists at Harvard and MIT, mainly in the fields of psychology, neurobiology, quantum physics and cosmology.
ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND
Tibet House US was founded in 1987 at the request of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Tibet House US aims to promote and preserve Tibetan culture by serving as both a cultural embassy in New York City and a global resource for those interested in Tibetan civilization, its spiritual science and unique arts. Its headquarters in New York City (22 West 15th Street, NY NY 10011) comprises 7,000 square feet, including a Tibetan Buddhist shrine room, a gallery, photographic archives, a lending library of over 1,000 volumes, a small boutique, and administrative offices. Selections from the Repatriation Art Collection can be seen throughout the public space, representatives from the over 1,000 pieces of offine art and artifacts that comprise this unique guardianship collection. Educational programs, exhibitions, and special events explore the richness and beauty of Tibetan culture through teachings by renowned scholars, speakers and teachers.
ANNUAL BENEFIT CONCERT
The annual Tibet House US benefit concert at Carnegie Hall was launched in 1988. Philip Glass has served as artistic director for over 35 years.
This star-studded event has included Patti Smith, David Bowie, Laurie Anderson, Lou Reed, Annie Lennox, Iggy Pop, Jon Batiste, Sandra Oh, David Byrne, Dave Matthews, and many others.
MENLA
Tibet House US operates the Menla Retreat and Dewa Spa in the Catskill mountains, which offers spiritual and wellness retreats. Menla, named after Asia’s “Medicine Buddha,” is based on Tibetan Buddhist medical philosophy and healing practices. It engages healers from traditional sciences as well as modern medical experts to provide spiritual healing and therapeutic wellness education and training. The Tibetan Buddhist approach empowers individuals to improve their wellness by increasing their understanding of the sources of health and illness and teaching ways to limit negative patterns—physical, emotional and spiritual. The large Menla property was generously donated to Tibet House US in 2001 to provide a place to demonstrate the benefits of Tibetan offerings, based on the Thurmans’ study of Tibetan Medicine (a bridge system between Indian Ayurveda and Chinese acupuncture) and the insight that a culture’s medical traditions serve as a matrix of a people’s way of life. Menla cooperates with the Tibetan Medical Institute in Dharamsala, and, under the volunteer executive guidance of Nena Thurman, makes a major contribution to Tibet House’s financial stability. The “Shangri-la-type” experience at Menla is acclaimed as unique, benefitting visitors with spiritually sensitive, positive, and compassionate service.
HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA
Tibet House US was founded under the express patronage of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, the retired de facto leader of Tibet. He was born on 6 July 1935, to a farming family in Amdo, northeastern Tibet. At the age of two, the child, then named Lhamo Dhondup, was recognized as the reincarnation of the previous 13th Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lamas are believed to be manifestations of Avalokiteshvara or Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of Compassion and the patron saint of Tibet. Bodhisattvas are realized beings who wish to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings and have vowed to be reborn in the world to help humanity. In 1959, following the suppression of Tibetan independence by Chinese troops, the Dalai Lama was forced to escape into exile. Since then, he has been living in Dharamsala, northern India. In 1989, The Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent struggle for the liberation of Tibet.
THE FOUNDERS
ROBERT A.F. THURMAN
Robert (“Bob”) and Nena Thurman are leaders of Tibet House US. Bob Thurman is a noted author and translator, Professor Emeritus of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University, co-founder and President of the American Institute of Buddhist Studies, inc., as well as co-founder and volunteer President of Tibet House US and its Menla Retreat & Spa. He is a renowned world-wide lecturer on Tibetan Buddhism, an activist for the Tibetan people, translator of Buddhist texts, and writer of popular Buddhist books. He was recently awarded the Padma Shri Award, the fourth highest civilization award presented by the Republic of India, for his life’s work of helping restore India’s classical heritage by bringing back long-lost Buddhist classics from the Tibetan translation canons. Among his most recent books are the 300 page graphic novel, Man of Peace: The Illustrated Biography of the Dalai Lama of Tibet, the scholarly study The Esoteric Community Tantra with its Illuminating Lamp Commentary, Chapters 1-12, and the popular manual for of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist education, Wisdom Is Bliss: The Four Friendly Fun Facts that Can Change Your Life.
NENA THURMAN
Nena Thurman is the Executive Chairwoman of Tibet House US and its Menla Retreat and Dewa Spa in the Catskills. She was a successful fashion model in the 1950s and ’60s before becoming a psychotherapist. She and Bob have been married for 57 years, and together they have raised four children, including Tibet House US Executive Director Ganden Thurman and actress Uma Thurman. In 1987, Nena encouraged Bob to co -found Tibet House US, in 1991 she joined the board as volunteer executive, and in 2001 she received the donation of the Menla property and successfully established it as Tibet House’s Menla Spa Retreat, overseeing its development as a Tibet-inspired spiritual center and wellness institute and an important outreach resource for Tibet House US. The Endowment Fund is named for Nena and Bob in recognition of their life-long commitment to Tibetan studies, the preservation of Tibetan culture, and stewardship of Tibet House US over many years.
NETWORK OF GLOBAL AFFILIATES
Tibet House US is part of a worldwide network of Tibetan institutions committed to ensuring the continuity of Tibet’s spiritual culture. Tibet House US works with the cultural institutions of the Tibetan refugee community, Dharamsala’s Norbulingka Institute for Religion and Culture, the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts, the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, and Tibet Houses worldwide. Tibet House US cooperates with the Tibet Fund in New York, the Office of Tibet and the International Campaign for Tibet in Washington, and the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration in Dharamsala, India.
WORLDWIDE TIBET HOUSES
Tibet House New Delhi, India (est. 1965) | Tibet House Japan, Shinjuku, Tokyo (est. 1975)
Casa Tibet México, Mexico City, (est. 1989) | Casa del Tibet Barcelona, Spain (est. 1994)
Tibet House Trust, London (est. 1994) | Tibet Haus Germany, Frankfurt (est. 2005)
Tibet House Moscow, Russia (est. 2004) | Tibet House Brazil, São Paulo, Brazil (est. 2014)
Tibet House Italy (est. 1990)
SUPPORT
The Endowment Campaign for Tibet House will sustain operations far into the future. Tibet House is not only a cultural embassy for Tibetans. It is also a beacon for all oppressed people whose cultural identity is at-risk.
- Endowment funds will be used to support educational programs on diverse aspects of Tibetan culture through educational programs, lectures, weekend workshops and conferences that provide the public with direct access to leading scholars.
- Expanding these programs, including educational activities at Menla, will enable Tibet House to share Tibet’s profound systems of spiritual philosophy and mind sciences, specifically on nonviolence and peacemaking.
- Funds will be used to sustain the Tibet House annual concert as both a cultural event, and a forum for a spiritual community of people bonded by music and common purpose. In recognition of Philip Glass, a concert collection will be prepared as a coffee table book and audio anthology.
- Tibet House has developed expertise in Vajra Yoga and will offer training and practice in yogic sciences from Tibet and India. Training can occur in person at seminars hosted by Tibet House and Menla, as well as on-line.
- The repatriation collection will be grown as the basis for preserving Tibetan art, and developing special exhibitions at museums, cultural centers and universities, and Tibet House itself.
- Bob Thurman’s lectures on “wisdom and compassion”, offered over the years, will be digitized and made available for scholars and practitioners of Tibet’s spiritual values.
Founding members with H.H. the Dalai Lama, L-R: Philip Glass, Robert Thurman, Elizabeth Avedon, Elsie Walker, and Richard Gere.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ROBERT THURMAN, president
PHILIP GLASS, vice president
NENA v. S. THURMAN, executive chairwoman
INA BECKER, secretary
BEATA TIKOS, treasurer
DAVID KITTAY, executive committee deputy chair
DANIEL AITKEN
PETER BACKMAN
ANNIE CHRISTOPHER
JANET FRIESEN
THUPTEN JINPA
SUSAN KESSLER
LUDWIG KUTTNER
MARJORIE LAYDEN
MICHELE LOEW
MICHAEL MCCORMICK, repatriation collection curator
JOHN MILLER
DAVID L. PHILLIPS
VEN. TENZIN PRIYADARSHI
JOHN REZK
SCOTT SNIBBE
LAURENCE H. SILVERMAN
UMA K. THURMAN
Honorary Directors
ALAN B. ABRAMSON
LAVINIA CURRIER
NAVIN KUMAR
ADAM LINDEMANN
LAURA PINTCHIK
TENZIN NAMGYAL TETHONG
FORTUNA VALENTINO
Ex-Officio Board
CHHIME CHOEKYAPA (Private Office of H. H. Dalai Lama)
VEN. GESHE DORJI DAMDUL (Director, Tibet House New Delhi, India)
KELSANG & KIM YESHI (Directors, Norbulingka Institute, Dharamsala, India)
RECENT INCOME & EXPENSES
Tibet House’s 990 forms are available upon request. Documents for the IRS are prepared by Tibet House US staff and its accountancy, Eisenkraft, Inc. CPA. Tibet House investments are managed by Fidelity. * Federal subsidies expired in 2023
