Matteo Pistono

It was a great honor to address the 2012 graduating class of Casper College last Friday. It was especially gratifying to see some of my own professors in the faculty sections as I gave the address. I will paste my commencement speech below and when the college uploads the video, I'll post it here as well.

This year's graduates, who include 16 international students, come from 21 states and 10 foreign countries, with all 23 Wyoming counties represented. A total of 679 students graduated during the 2011-2012 academic year.


Casper College Commencement Speech by Matteo Pistono
May 11, 2012

Thank you very much, President Nolte, for that generous introduction.

Distinguished guests, parents, former professors of mine, friends and fellow Wyomingites, and most of all graduates, I am honored to be with you tonight to give the commencement speech for the graduating class of 2012.

Let me begin by recognizing  Read More 

Self-immolations and Buddhists’ struggles in Tibet test a key tenet of the faith
Washington Post May 9, 2012
by Losang Tendrol

Last month, the prominent Thai social activist Sulak Sivaraksa spoke with Matteo Pistono and Lodi Gyari at the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) about engaged Buddhism in the 21st century. His talk came just a few days after American University's 10 Days for Tibet action week ended. The AU campus hosted a variety of guest speakers who discussed topics ranging from development on the Tibetan plateau, life under Chinese rule, and Tibetan self-immolations.

Also last month, AU, the Capital Area Tibetan Association, Partners for Tibetan Education and the Guhyasamaja Center organized a prayer service hosted by ICT. Geshe Dorji Wangchuk and monks  Read More