The Dalai Lama will be keynote speaker Sunday at a celebration of the Tibetan New Year with a program at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

In his first local appearance in more than two years, the 80-year-old spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism will appear at the program sponsored by the Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota. He will speak in both English and Tibetan from 9 to 11:30 a.m.

Sunday will mark the Dalai Lama's first public appearance since he checked into the Mayo Clinic in Rochester in January to undergo prostate treatment, according to his website.

Tickets for Sunday's talk range from $30 to $50 for foundation members and $50 to $75 for nonmembers. Youth tickets for ages 6 to 17 range from $15 to $50.

After speaking in Minneapolis, the Dalai Lama will head to Madison, Wis., on March 9 and to Salt Lake City on June 21 before making three appearances in Europe in September.

For more information on the Minneapolis event, call 651-917-9556 or see www.tafm.org.