On September 29th, 1992, H.H. the XVII Gyalwang Karmapa performed his first public ceremony, an empowerment of Avalokiteshvara known as Overturning the Depths of Samsara. The empowerment was received by over twenty thousand of his fortunate monastic and lay disciples.
Participants in the enthronement ceremony included: tulkus and lamas or their representatives from the many Karma Kamtsang monasteries and from the main schools of Tibetan Buddhism along with representatives from the government of the PRC and the government of the Tibetan Autonomous Region as well as disciples from Dharma centers abroad and monks and devotees from all over the world.