Universal Peace Gala opens on Saturday with Tibetan Lama who believes Bitcoin and blockchain are the keys to world harmony
A Himalayan Dzogchen master and cryptocurrency champion will be bringing his teachings to Beverly Hills this weekend at a global gathering promoting peace.
Tibetan Lama Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche, who has been touring the world and speaking at several blockchain conferences, will be attending the Universal Peace Gala on Saturday May 13 from 6pm at the Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, California.
The gala – under the theme “Make Peace More Fashionable Than War” – is a benefit in support of the Universal Peace Sanctuary, now under construction in Lumbini, Nepal.
The sanctuary has been designed to serve as a centre to guide individuals, communities and nations toward peace, non-violence and reconciliation.
The gala will feature a theatrical presentation of traditional Himalayan music and dance, honouring all mothers who exemplify selfless love in caring for their children.
The host for the evening is celebrated actress, Kelly Hu. Guests will enjoy a red-carpet experience, with live entertainment, fine dining and the company of world leaders, philanthropists, entrepreneurs and innovators from around the world.
His Eminence Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche is the visionary founder of the Universal Peace Sanctuary. Rinpoche says that we must always work to make war unfashionable, both within ourselves and among all our brothers and sisters.
He has spoken enthusiastically about about embracing decentralised finance, with a particular focus on Bitcoin and understanding the technology underpinning the flagship cryptocurrency.
“I have been to many blockchain conferences, with a need to make sure we understand the essence of blockchain – freedom and liberation,” he explained.
“We have the opportunity to truly empower sovereign wealth while empowering everyone and providing the right to live – there is this possibility with blockchain and Bitcoin.”
Launch of the Universal Peace Movement
The gala will also serve as the launch of the Universal Peace Movement, an initiative aimed at raising funds for the construction of the Universal Peace Sanctuary and its Digital Twin.
The launch of the Universal Peace Movement to “make peace more fashionable than war” with the key hashtags #PEACEbyPIECE and #BLOCKbyBLOCK will take place with some of the Founding Universal Peace Ambassadors being honoured on stage.
The next galas are scheduled to take place in New York and the United Arab Emirates later this year at the end of Q3 and beginning of Q4.
The Founding Universal Peace Ambassadors (in alphabetical order)
James Bowater
Founder of Jade Vault & Jade City who recently committed to donate 25 metric tons of valuable jadeite to produce a five-metre-tall statue of Queen Maya Devi as the centrepiece of the Universal Peace Sanctuary. James is also known as the ‘Crypto Insider’ and as founder and editor-at-large of Crypto AM in partnership with Morning Wire – London’s Business Newspaper.
As Crypto Insider, James is Global Ambassador for World Mobile, Senior Strategic advisor to MELD, an investor & advisor to Acta Finance, an advisor to Coinweb, an advisor to CUDOS, an investor & advisor to Cornucopias, an advisor to DEGA.org, Senior Strategic Advisor to eTukTuk.io, an advisor to Fineqia, an advisor to Q9 Capital, an advisor to Rainfall.one, an advisor to SEKAI, an investor and advisor to Sheesha Finance, and a founding member of Syndika.
Manoj Narender Madnani
Co-founder and CEO of Beacon Media – a global media and entertainment company with a modular approach to global transmedia content creation and talent allocation that is disrupting the industry. Beacon Media is committed to radical transparency in the creator economy, focusing on scaling and reaching as many people as possible.
The collaboration partners are global as is the content and audience. With a collaboration mindset based on The Multiplier Effect ensuring 1+1=11 in every relationship, Manoj ventured into the rabbit hole of media, blockchain and digital assets – a space driven by the community and key influencer voices in the communities and a clear understanding that the Web2 community creates value in Web3.
Brock Pierce
A US entrepreneur known widely for his work in the cryptocurrency since its infancy in 2013. He is a co-founder of the stablecoin Tether, and was an advisor to the government of El Salvador over its adoption of Bitcoin as a national currency.
He has been credited with pioneering the market for digital currency and has raised more than $5 billion for companies he has founded. Pierce is the Chairman of the Bitcoin Foundation and co-founder of EOS Alliance, Block.one, Blockchain Capital, Tether, and Mastercoin -the first Initial Coin Offering in history.
Bundeep Singh Rangar
CEO of Fineqia – an investment business in the digital asset industry. He’s invested in IDEO CoLab, the investment unit of global design company IDEO and Wave Financial, a top manager of digital assets worldwide.
He is also the founder and Group CEO of PremFina, a UK financial inclusion firm that enables affordable purchase of insurance premiums. It’s been invested in by Canada’s Thomson family (Thomson Reuters namesake), Silicon Valley billionaire investor Tim Draper, Japanese e-commerce leader Rakuten and other financial institutions. He also founded IndusView, that’s advised the Boards of Bloomberg, BT, Hays, Experian, Sage, Saxo Bank, Skype, Tata Consultancy Services and Volkswagen on innovation and growth.
Yat Siu
Executive chairman and co-founder of Animoca Brands – a global leader in blockchain and gaming behind the games The Sandbox, Crazy Kings and Crazy Defense Heroes. Yat Siu is also the founder and CEO of Outblaze, a tech conglomerate specialising in cloud, gaming, and smartphone software.
As an early advocate for the use of blockchain and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in the gaming industry, Yat steered Animoca Brands in 2008 to focus on blockchain technology and NFTs. Seeing the potential of decentralised apps and assets, Yat Siu wants gamers to enjoy true ownership of their own game assets, data, and, consequently, equity. Animoca Brands was recently valued at $5.9 billion. It operates a series of NFT-centric subsidiaries and products, with investments in over 170 blockchain-related companies, making it one of the largest blockchain portfolios in the world.
Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche on ‘Making Peace More Fashionable Than War’:
“I am just a simple, self-realized teacher who guides by trusting my experience; I do not adhere to rigid philosophical systems or strict religious doctrine. However, I do feel the Universal Peace Sanctuary does require a guiding principle. We cannot effectuate peace without human actions guided by what is universally true.
“The slogan, ‘Make Peace More Fashionable Than War’, calls for prioritizing peace over war in all aspects of thought and action. First, we must make peace with the internal wars that we face every day: the afflictions of desire, hatred, ignorance, pride, and greed. The word fashionable refers to what is popular and what is seen as acceptable. We must work to make war unfashionable, both internally within ourselves, and externally, among all our brothers and sisters. When we pacify internal conflict, we naturally manifest peace in the world.
“In another sense, fashionable refers to what is pure and natural. If we can be fashionable in this sense, we experience spontaneous fulfilment. Spontaneous implies that there is no effort, no pretence and no agenda. Fulfilment means that there is total contentment; experience is fresh and occurs in the awareness of now.
“There is complete freedom from conditioning thoughts, concepts and identifications. Like a full moon, there is total completeness, with nothing lacking. That is to say, you are who you truly are, in the continuum of pure awareness. You are integrated with your luminous essence, which is naturally peaceful.
“This natural flow of energy itself never changes. The energy is unobstructed. This will be difficult if we are controlled by our habits and our conditioning, by all that enslaves us. We need to have a compassionate heart and use our natural intelligence to see and accept everything just as it is. Then we are one with this pure vibrant energy. This is it. This is the most fashionable way of being that will never go out of style, it will always be a cause for peace.”
Charitable status
The Universal Peace Sanctuary is a non-profit project that promotes peace, compassion, and understanding among all people and all nations.
Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche has founded non-profit organisations in the United States, including Buddhafield, the Center for Enlightenment in New York. In Asia, he founded Wencheng Gongzhu International Foundation headquartered in Hong Kong. His Eminence is the abbot of Shyalpa Monastery and Nunnery in Kathmandu, Nepal. His charitable organisations include the Bhrikuti Himalayan Foundation and the Himalayan Children’s Fund.
RANGRIG YESHE INC is a 501(c)3 corporation founded in 1989
President: His Eminence Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche
Vice President: Mr Benjamin Gorlick
Secretary: Ms Kathleen Clark
Treasurer: Mr Daniel Bernatowicz
Assistant Secretary: Mr Charles Speich
Clerk-Resident: Mrs Louise Koval