Source: RIA Novosti
http://en.rian.ru/rian/index.cfm?prd_id=160&msg_id=4941078&startrow=1&date=2004-10-06&do_alert=0
On October 6, 2004 RIA Novosti reported, "A maiden Russian festival of Buddhist culture will be held in Moscow, October 14 through 31, under the motto, 'Tibet: Traditions, Art, Philosophy.' Patronising the event is His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Nobel Peace Prize winner. Organising the festival is Moscow's Tibetan House, established this year. Russia is an excellent venue for the festival, with its three Buddhist autonomies-Kalmykia, Buryatia and Tuva, Elena Vrublevskaya, Tibetan House president, said to a RIA Novosti news conference that prefaced the event. Founding fathers of the Tibetan House in New York City-movie star Richard Gere and Professor Robert Thurman of Columbia University-will be active in the Moscow festival. The professor's three lectures will give Muscovites a glimpse of Buddhist culture and customs, and the actor will address a news conference and offer a show of snapshots he has made."