The University of Massachusetts  is hosting a panel discussion that will consider a Tibet without the Dalai Lama in its future next Tuesday night.

“The Road Ahead: A Tibet Without The Dalai Lama” is slated for Tuesday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Commonwealth Honors College Events Hall, and will focus on the relationship between China and Tibet without his guidance. Tenzin Gyatso, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, has said it is possible that he would be the last Dalai Lama.

The event will provide both Chinese and Tibetan perspectives on the issue.

UMass associate professor of Chinese David Schneider will join Yang Jianili, a Harvard Fellow and president of Initiatives for China, to provide the Chinese perspective. Schneider is also a former international trade analyst in the China Office of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Lhadon Tethong and Andrea Worden will provide the Tibetan perspective.  Tethong is the director of the Tibet Action Institute and an International Center on Nonviolent Conflict. Worden is the director of government relations at International Campaign for Tibet and former executive director of Asia Catalyst, a non-profit that focuses on health rights and grassroots capacity-building in China and Southeast Asia.

Tenzin Thargay, a sophomore political science major, will moderate the discussion.

The Dalai Lama was scheduled to speak at UMass later this month before canceling his visit to the area due to health concerns.

The event is free to the public and refreshments will be provided.

Anthony Rentsch can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @Anthony_Rentsch.