Tibetan Monks Build Sand Mandala at Emory
Emory University's 25th annual Emory-Tibet Week featured a sand mandala created and then dismantled by visiting Tibetan monks.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Buddhism
Emory University held its 25th annual Emory-Tibet Week from October 26 to 31, during which Tibetan monks created a sand mandala in Ackerman Hall. The mandala was dismantled at the ritual's end, with the sand poured into the creek behind the Michael C. Carlos Museum.
Why it matters
The event brings a Buddhist sacred art tradition and its contemplative themes to the Atlanta community through the university's long-running cultural exchange program. It reflects the sustained partnership between Emory and Tibetan Buddhist institutions that has shaped the campus's contemplative science and compassion-based ethics work.
The Emory-Tibet Week program, established in 2001, marks its 25th annual edition this year, running from October 26 to 31. The Emory Tibet Science Initiative, a related effort, was founded in 2006, and attendance figures for this year's events were not reported.
The players
Emory University
A private research university in Atlanta that hosts Emory-Tibet Week and the Emory Center for Contemplative Sciences and Compassion-Based Ethics.
Michael C. Carlos Museum
The art museum at Emory University, which co-organizes Emory-Tibet Week and hosted the compassion exhibit.
Drepung Loseling Monastery
A Tibetan Buddhist monastery in exile in India and a partner in establishing Emory-Tibet Week in 2001.
Dalai Lama Trust
The organization associated with the Dalai Lama that partnered in founding Emory-Tibet Week.
John Templeton Foundation
A philanthropic foundation that supported the founding partnership of Emory-Tibet Week.
The details
Tibetan monks spent several days creating an intricate sand mandala in Ackerman Hall, whose design reflects service, wisdom, compassion, love, joy and equanimity. At the ritual's close, the monks dismantled the mandala and poured the sand into the creek behind the Carlos Museum, while the museum's "Compassion: What Moves You?" exhibit, including dance performances by Social Empathy Lab members, ran alongside the week.
Timeline
2001: Emory-Tibet Week was established by its partner organizations.
2006: The Emory Tibet Science Initiative was established.
October 26 to 31, 2026: The 25th annual Emory-Tibet Week took place, with the sand mandala exhibition beginning on the first day.
January 31 to November 1, 2026: The Carlos Museum's compassion exhibit was on display.
Cultural Exchange
The 25th annual Emory-Tibet Week continues the partnership founded in 2001 between Emory's Center for Contemplative Sciences and Compassion-Based Ethics and Tibetan Buddhist institutions. The program's longevity reflects a sustained academic and cultural commitment that has grown alongside the Emory Tibet Science Initiative established in 2006.
Atlanta residents can attend Emory's public contemplative programming, including the Carlos Museum's exhibits and related events held on campus. The Emory Tibet Science Initiative offers ongoing opportunities for community engagement with Buddhist scholarship and practice.
The takeaway
The sand mandala's creation and dismantling reflect Buddhist teachings on impermanence, a reminder that lasting value can lie in the practice itself rather than the finished object. Readers can explore such contemplative traditions through local museum exhibits and campus programs.
Further reading
For more on the tradition behind this event, explore Buddhism coverage in Atlanta.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Emory Wheel.
