Dalai Lama is coming to Seattle this spring

The Dalai Lama is coming to Seattle this spring for the first time in almost 15 years to participate in a conference on the importance of nurturing compassion in children.

The Tibetan Buddhist leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner will speak April 12 at Qwest Field. His public address will be broadcast over the Internet.

"We should make every effort to make this century the century of dialogue. This must come from a compassionate heart," the Dalai Lama said in a media statement. "I really feel that this conference can plant positive seeds for a happy future, a happy world, particularly for children. They, the younger generation, are the real basis for our hope."

The four-day event is being organized by Seeds of Compassion, which aims to nurture kindness and compassion in the world, starting with children and adults — such as parents, teachers and caregivers — who are involved in children's lives. Seeds of Compassion is part of the Kirlin Charitable Foundation, a Bellevue-based nonprofit that works for social change.

The event will feature discussions on scientific research into compassion, business philanthropy and interfaith dialogue, among other things. The Dalai Lama is to participate in those discussions, as well as join schoolchildren at KeyArena on April 14 for a discussion on kindness.

The event, including the Dalai Lama's talk, is free and open to the public but will require tickets. Ticket information will be posted on Seeds of Compassion's Web site (www.seedsofcompassion.net) starting in January, spokeswoman Pamela Eakes said.

The Dalai Lama has visited the Northwest before, including a 2001 visit to Portland and 1993 and 1979 visits to Seattle.