Members of ISU faculty traveled to the University of Northern Iowa along with more than 10,000 people to hear the Dalai Lama speak on Education and peace.

The Dalai Lama is one of the most well known and respected leaders in modern society. His Holiness visited Iowa for the first time May 18 preaching on living a long and happy life through trust and honesty at the McLeod Center for two sold out events.

Going into the event Benjamin Webb, Iowa State alumni of 1978 and executive director of the Center for Regenerative Society, said the amount of people who came to see the Dalai Lama went beyond him being a spiritual leader.

“The Dalai Lama has done so much, he is a great man because of the trials he faced and in doing so he has stirred a lot of people.”

Brian Eslinger, a religious studies lecturer at Iowa State, agreed with Webb. “I was looking forward to hearing this person I read all these books by and heard about his teachings,” Eslinger said

Webb said he hoped the event would, “Give people inner courage and inner strength to do the things they haven’t done before.”

What stuck out to Eslinger, was the Dalai Lama’s aura of joy throughout the day, despite his more than 30-year exile from his home country of Tibet.

“His life story has lots of struggles, and it seems like little fruit has been reaped from his work. Still he shows a happiness that is inspiring.” Eslinger said.

His Holiness’ joyful nature is one of the things that make the Dalai Lama a profound speaker for some people.

“He talks about these serious matters and yet brings joys while discussing them. It is such a refreshing happiness he has.” Eslinger said.

As a lecturer on religious studies, Eslinger hopes to bring some of the Dalai Lama’s teaching into the classroom.

“It was interesting and some thing to think about, how we should respect with out fear and to better understand secularism here in the United States,” Eslinger said

The Dalai Lama discussed the different opinions of secularism, in that the western world believes secularism to be anti-religion, compared to India where secularism is “showing all religions respect.”

His drawing of similarities and differences between religions, as well as the necessity and dialogue to appreciate all religion, stuck out the most for Eslinger.