January 26, 2001

For Immediate Release:

Contact: Paul W. Mortensen
(801) 298-7856

Centerville, Utah — The Jefferson 21st Century Institute today called upon the Utah Tibet Foundation (UTF) to cease misrepresenting Governor Leavitt and the State of Utah as sponsors of the Dalai Lama's May 2001 visit to Utah.

The Dalai Lama is scheduled to participate in an interfaith religious service at Abravanel Hall and to speak on Buddhist spiritual principles at the Huntsman Center at the University of Utah. A list on UTF's website, www.utahtibet.org/html/who_we_are.html, conspicuously includes "The State of Utah and Governor Michael Leavitt" among the Dalai Lama's sponsors.

"We were surprised to see the governor and State of Utah listed as official sponsors," said Paul W. Mortensen, J21CI executive director. "If such were true, there would clearly be a violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment as the Dalai Lama is a world- renowned religious leader."

Upon checking with the governor's Office of Constituent Affairs, the Institute was advised by assistant director Matt Rasmussen, that neither the State nor Governor Leavitt is sponsoring the Dalai Lama's visit. "Mr. Rasmussen made clear that absolutely no support, financial or otherwise, is being provided by the State or governor," said Mortensen. "Mr. Rasmussen also made clear that the Dalai Lama is more than welcome to visit Utah, a sentiment with which the Institute completely concurs," added Mortensen.

"UTF should promptly remove Governor Leavitt and the state from its list of sponsors," said Mortensen.

The Institute has engaged in a series of Establishment Clause battles with groups sponsoring Tibetan Buddhist monks in public schools and other public venues in Utah. Over Institute objections, Monks engaged in religious ceremonies and prayers during school hours in public schools in Grand, Salt Lake City and Park City school districts during 1998 and 1999.

Last year the Institute sued the Park City School District to obtain records of the monks' 1999 visit to Park City High School. The Institute also criticized Moab City for waiving park rental fees for a "prayer in the park" event honoring visiting monks in 1998.

"Perhaps it arises from understandable sympathy in light of ruthless suppression of Tibetan religion by the Chinese communist government," said Mortensen. "However, it is still unconstitutional for American governments to sponsor monks and their religious ceremonies and prayers, no matter how deplorable their oppression in other countries. Tibetan Buddhism is not helped by claims that the State of Utah and its governor endorse its religious leader."

Also listed as sponsors for the Dalai Lama's visit are the Episcopal Diocese of Utah and its bishop, Carolyn Tanner Irish, O.C. Tanner Trust Fund, Utah Tibet Support Group, Intermountain Health Care, World Affairs Council, and Cummings Foundation.

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