reported by Joshua Silberstein, Chief of Staff for Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche
In an historic meeting, the Sakyong was welcomed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel at the City Hall of Chicago on the eve of the convening Youth Congress on Peace at Malcolm X College.
Sakyong Mipham and Mayor Rahm Emanuel, photo by Breton Hoagland
What commenced was a wide-ranging discussion including a conversation about their families and children, to comparing exercise regimens. The conversation then went deeper with the Mayor sharing his heartfelt wish for the health, safety and strength of Chicago and his appreciation that the Sakyong was offering whatever help he could. They discussed their mutual hope for peace for humanity and how that is practically applied at the level of public governance. The meeting ended with the Mayor wishing the Sakyong and Sakyong Wangmo well with the birth of their daughter.
The Director of Shambhala Chicago, Mr. Tom Aducci, was also present at the meeting, as were President of Shambhala Richard Reoch and the Sakyong’s Chief of Staff Joshua Silberstein.