The Dalai Lama will spoke at the University of Maryland on Tuesday morning as part of the annual Sadat Lecture for Peace.
An estimated 15,000 people packed the Comcast Center for the 45 minute speech, and a question-and answer session with the audience.
Tickets to the event were distributed in April.
Since 1997, the Anwar Sadat Chair for Peace and Development lecture series has invited prestigious global leaders to speak before university students and staff. In the past, the program has attracted leaders who spoke about conflict resolution and peace, such as former U.S. secretary of states Madeleine Albright and Henry Kissinger, former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela, and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter.
"The Sadat Lecture for Peace is one of the University's most prominent events and having his Holiness visit the campus is a remarkable opportunity for our whole community," said University of Maryland President Wallace Loh.
As a peaceful advocate for promoting human values and religious harmony, the Dalai Lama “has been a compelling voice of compassion, toleration, and peace during turbulent times,” said the Sadat Chair, Shibley Telhami.