The Dalai Lama is doing a live Google+ Hangout with Desmond Tutu

In what’s probably the biggest piece of publicity yet for Google’s young social network, the Dalai Lama, leader of Tibetan Buddhism, announced today that he’ll be doing a live Google+ Hangout with Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Google has been pushing to get more celebrities on Google+ to boost its presence in the public eye. But unlike other instances of famous people on the social network (like Wil.i.Am), the Dalai Lama’s purpose for doing a video Hangout is much more practical than publicity.

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For the second time this year, the South African government has refused to issue the Dalia Lama a visa application, which is necessary for him to attend the upcoming Inaugural Desmond Tutu Peace Lecture in the South African city of Cape Town. So, a Google+ Hangout is the next best thing.

“His Holiness the Dalai Lama will have a conversation with Archbishop Desmond Tutu by live video over a Hangout as part of the Inaugural Desmond Tutu Peace Lecture in Cape Town, South Africa, on October 8, 2011, starting at 10:30am South African time (GMT+2.00). A link to the Google+ Hangout will be available approximately 20-30 minutes before the event begins,” the office of the Dalai Lama wrote in a note on Google+.

The chat between these two peace activists is definitely a testament to the usefulness and potential of Google+’s video chat Hangout feature.