SpiritualityWellness

Wisdom of Happiness Post Screening Discussion with Richard Gere & Tencho Gyatso

Skoll Foundation
Skoll Foundation•May 1, 2026

Why It Matters

The film provides a rare, emotionally resonant conduit for the Dalai Lama’s teachings, empowering activists and policymakers to embed compassion into human‑rights strategies and gender‑balanced leadership.

Key Takeaways

  • •Film links personal joy to large‑scale social transformation
  • •Compassion requires daily practice, not passive sentiment, but active effort
  • •Storytelling in dark theaters fosters collective humility and openness
  • •New archival footage reveals Dalai Lama’s youthful humanity
  • •Gender balance framed as wisdom (women) and action (men)

Summary

The video captures a post‑screening conversation after the documentary “Wisdom of Happiness,” featuring actor‑activist Richard Gere and Tenzin Gyatso, president of the International Campaign for Tibet. The dialogue centers on how the film translates the Dalai Lama’s teachings on happiness, compassion, and purpose into a roadmap for contemporary social change.

Participants stress that joy is not a fleeting feeling but a disciplined practice that underpins large‑scale transformation. Gere notes the Dalai Lama’s daily routine—waking at 3:30 a.m., meditating, meeting hundreds of people—to illustrate that negative emotions must be actively worked on. The film’s narrative intertwines personal self‑inquiry with collective responsibility, positioning compassion as a strategic asset for activists.

The discussion highlights several cinematic choices that deepen impact: a mirror‑technique that makes the Dalai Lama appear to speak directly to the viewer, and newly uncovered archival footage of him playing in snow as a young monk. Gere also frames gender dynamics as “wisdom” (women) and “action” (men), echoing the Dalai Lama’s remarks that the future is female.

For NGOs like ICT, the documentary serves as both a fundraising catalyst and an educational tool, especially for Tibetans who cannot see the Dalai Lama in person. By leveraging the communal experience of theater, the film aims to shrink ego, foster empathy, and inspire concrete advocacy—potentially shaping policy debates on human rights, gender equality, and climate‑linked compassion.

Original Description

In a world marked by polarization, environmental crisis, and relentless distraction, where do we find the source of happiness? This deeply intimate film offers a rare answer delivered by the Dalai Lama himself.
Wisdom of Happiness, executive produced by Richard Gere, shows us a timeless truth: happiness is still possible, even in the midst of chaos and uncertainty. This powerful message of hope is delivered as a personal audience with Nobel Peace Prize winner Tenzin Gyatso, known to billions around the world as the Dalai Lama. With disarming clarity and deep humanity, he invites us to imagine—and help create—a world where compassion is activated as our strongest force for change, and happiness is within reach for everyone.
Following the screening, join executive producer Richard Gere—actor, humanitarian, and longtime student of the Dalai Lama—and Tencho Gyatso, President of the International Campaign for Tibet and niece of the Dalai Lama, for a conversation about the film and its enduring message, moderated by Felipe Estefan, CEO of Curiosity Capital.
Richard Gere
Gere Foundation
Tencho Gyatso
International Campaign for Tibet
@InterCampaignTibet
Felipe Estefan
Curiosity Capital
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