Dalai Lama at Centennial Olympic Park

Metro Atlanta

Dalai Lama at Centennial Olympic Park

Dalai Lama speaks Monday at Centennial Olympic Park, his last stop in his visit to metro Atlanta

Monks (from left) Ganbaatat, Pema Renchen and Gundsambun, head of the Mongolian Ganden Monestary, await the Dalai Lama's arrival at Centennial Olympic Park on Monday afternoon.

Christina Grecchi of Savannah joins meditation as she waits for the Dalai Lama to arrive Monday at Centennial Olympic Park for a public talk, the last major item on his agenda while in Atlanta.

Several thousand people gathered an hour before the Tibetan holy man was scheduled to talk about educating the heart and mind. As the crowd kept coming, some in business suits, some in green hair, they spread blankets on the damp ground or found spots to sit, bringing a little rock concert atmosphere to the Dalai Lama's stay in Atlanta.

Georgia Tech students (from left) Evan Wollard, Ross Taylor, Ira Kaplan, Chris May and Ryan Hover welcome the spiritual leader. When asked why, Taylor said, "We do this at our football games, so we just wanted to welcome him to Atlanta in our own way."

Alan Hemphill enjoys a moment during the chanting before the Dalai Lama speaks.

Congressman John Lewis greets the Dalai Lama at the start of the program.

The Dalai Lama acknowledges the crowd at Centennial Olympic Park before his talk.

Padma Shah (left) and Carlton Parker, both of Atlanta, enjoy the speech.

Konchog Dorje (left) and Larry Paul, both of Atlanta, listen as the Dalai Lama speaks.

The Dalai Lama applauds U.S. Rep. John Lewis as he goes to the podium to speak in Centennial Olympic Park.

Andrew Colvard (left), 15, spends time with his stepmother, Eleanor Kuntz, and his father, Jay Colvard, during the Dalai Lama's speech Monday.

Ken Abhalter listens from the front row.

The standing-room-only crowd includes some folks who brought along the flag of Tibet.

The Dalai Lama addresses the crowd while his likeness is displayed on a big screen for those at the back of the park.

Laurel Mocklar of Marietta gets a picture of the Dalai Lama as he leaves after his speech Monday afternoon.

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Monks (from left) Ganbaatat, Pema Renchen and Gundsambun, head of the Mongolian Ganden Monestary, await the Dalai Lama's arrival at Centennial Olympic Park on Monday afternoon.

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