Vipasana International Academy

The gates of the Vipassana International Academy were opened to the public in 1976. Goenkaji conducted the first ten-day course at Dhamma Giri from 27 October to 7 November 1976. Eighty-nine students, 38 old and 51 new students, participated in that course. The opening of Dhamma Giri marked an important step in the spread of Dhamma. Since 1969, Goenkaji had conducted courses in temples, churches, mosques, pilgrims' resthouses, monasteries, schools, and hotels. These "gypsy camps" (non-centre camps) were invaluable in the spread of Dhamma, but obviously it would be still more valuable to have a place specifically for the practice of Vipassana meditation. The importance of establishing a centre was stressed by Sayagyi U Ba Khin when, in the early seventies, he was visited by the first of Goenkaji's students in Myanmar.