As a guardian of Tibetan culture and as a representative of the Buddhist community, His Holiness the Dalai Lama works tirelessly to preserve the ancient culture of his homeland. Even in the face of the potential destruction of his culture, and despite living for so many years in exile, His Holiness travels extensively, promoting non-violence, kindness and harmony. With Tibetan Buddhist culture threatened, establishment of an institution for the preservation of that culture is more important than ever before, and that is why the Namgyal Institute of Buddhist Studies in Ithaca, New York, is so important to the Dalai Lama, and his followers.