Dalai Lama to attend meeting of religious leaders in Prague

PRAGUE, Czech Republic - The Dalai Lama is scheduled to visit the Czech Republic next month to participate in a meeting of religious leaders from around the world, an official said Thursday.

The exiled Tibetan leader is set to join a July 3 forum on the role of religion in the contemporary world, said Rene Kubasek, deputy director of the Forum 2000 Foundation, the group that is organizing the meeting.

The Dalai Lama, considered by his supporters as both head of state and spiritual leader of Tibet, will attend the meeting at the invitation of Czech President Vaclav Havel, Kubasek said.

Last October, the Dalai Lama canceled a planned visit to the Czech Republic and other European countries because of security concerns sparked by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. He was to attend a conference in Prague planned by the same organization.

Kubasek did not name the other religious dignitaries who plan to attend the discussions.