On Tuesday, October 21, John Oliver's Learning Commons was flooded by the paparazzi and dignitaries who were there to welcome the Dalai Lama as he visited the school as part of his "Be the Village" Heart-Mind Youth Dialogues series.

During his visit that morning, the Dalai Lama met with students from Moberly Elementary and took part in a gratitude circle. Then he headed over to another part of the learning commons where he got a crash course in neuroscience from John Oliver students. Afterwards, it was off to the JO gym for a series of conversations and questions with Metro Vancouver Youth. The gym was packed with hundreds of elementary and secondary students along with guests from the district, the Dalai Lama Centre and UBC.

John Oliver was chosen as the site of the event because of the remarkable transformation it has experienced over the past ten years. During this time, the school has seen a profound improvement in students' academic performance and a deepening of school culture.

To watch a Global News broadcast about the visit, click here. To view a story in the Vancouver Sun about the visit, click here.