Latri Shedra Geshe Candidate Defending his Argument
2021 AFOT Board Of Directors
Teachings at Druk Zangri Nunnery
Practice at Druk Zangri Nunnery
Dr. Rickey Nyerongsha's Orphanage
Jampa Choling Teachers and Nuns
Education Achievement at Pema Ts'al Monastic Institute
Tse Palmo Monks Distributing Food For COVID-19 Community Relief
Tse Palmo Food Packets for the Surrounding Community
Blessing the Food at Tse Palmo Before Community Distribution
Peggy Hitchcock Retirement Celebration
Peggy Hitchcock and Khandro Noble
Teachers listening to Latri Shedra Monastery Geshe Debates
Latri Shedra Geshe Ceremony
Latri Shedra Monastery Geshe Debates
Learning English at Jampa Choling Nunnery
Eldest Nun at Jampa Choling Nunnery
COVID-19 Study at Center for Healthy Minds, University Of Wisconsin
Practice at Druk Zangri Nunnery
Latri Shedra Geshe Candidate Defending his Argument
Tse Palmo Monastery COVID-19 Community Relief Program
ABOUT US
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
STEVE ROSALIK President
DEAN PIELSTICK Secretary
GINGER APPLEGARTH Treasurer
BOARD MEMBERS
BRYAN CROW
RAE ERIN DACHILLE
ANN DANOWITZ
JUDY MARGOLIS
SARA ANN MOWERY
TENZIN PHAKDON
PETER SCHLEE
TENZIN SONAM
OUR MISSION
Arizona Friends of Tibet is a nonprofit organization dedicated to manifesting His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s vision of promoting basic human values as set forth in Tibetan culture, civilization, and ancient Buddhist traditions.
OUR VISION
We support His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s three main commitments as follows:
- Promoting the human values of compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, contentment and self-discipline
- Working for harmony between all religions
- Preserving Tibet’s Buddhist culture of peace and non-violence in the world
We support the nonviolent efforts of the Dalai Lama to regain dignity and religious freedom for the Tibetan people.
OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
- We support education and health-related programs benefiting Tibetans around the world.
- We sponsor various community events highlighting Tibetan culture including movies, lectures, teachings and sand mandala creations.
- We facilitate travel to Arizona for Tibetan and Buddhist teachers (including the Dalai Lama in 1993 and 2005).
- We promote a sense of community and shared practice for Buddhists and students in the greater Tucson area.
If you know of a project that helps Tibetans directly, please contact us with the details at grants@afot.org.
Arizona Friends of Tibet is affiliated with Tibet House US.
ARIZONA FRIENDS OF TIBET IN THE NEWS
Tucson Sentinel – October 2025
- ‘The right time:’ Former Dalai Lama attendant dissolves sand mandala at UA
- Former Dalai Lama attendant creating sand mandala at University of Arizona
Tucson Weekly – September 2005
Prepping for the Dalai Lama: The exiled leader of Tibetan Buddhism returns to Tucson.
New York Times – November 1993
The Dalai Lama had come to this unlikely corner of the world to give a series of interpretive readings from “A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life.”
Shambhala – Winter 1993
Dalai Lama To Teach in Arizona: Plans have been announced for His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, to visit Arizona in September.