Over the course of these forty years, centers for study and meditation rooted in the Kagyü lineage have developed to welcome the public. We have seen the opening of a library to allow for the consultation of texts, the construction of an institute to host conferences and to ensure the translation of essential literary and philosophical works, the creation of retreat centers to permit the deepening of knowledge and meditation practice, and the establishment of men’s and women’s monasteries offering positive conditions to consecrate one’s life to a path of wisdom. Each of us, in our own way, has participated in the realization of Gyalwa Karmapa’s five wishes, which permit for the sustainable establishment of the Buddha’s teachings in Europe. These forty years mark a stepping stone for our big family: the buildings are built, the activities are stabilized, and we can think about the development of the whole. This celebration is not limited to a single event, but is rather the assembly of numerous meetings, teachings, and practices focused on the theme of gratitude that will take place throughout the year from one Losar to another (February 2015-February 2016).
Our gratitude, brought to the forefront of this celebration, is for all those who, from near or far, have participated in the realization of the projects that brought us to where we are today. Our gratitude is for the masters who invested all their energy to ensure the transmission of the dharma, for the benefactors, for the volunteers who supported other sites connected to Dhagpo, for all those who have put into practice the teaching and thus taken part in the creation of our spiritual community. Our gratitude is for you.