Twenty-five years ago this week in Oslo, a man who describes himself as a simple Buddhist monk was awarded the Nobel peace prize. His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people and the inspiration of my life’s work, remains a towering figure on the world stage. His message of peace, and emphasis on values of compassion and tolerance, have never mattered more in a world in which moral leadership is in scarce supply.
This week, the Dalai Lama marks the anniversary of the peace prize, a turning point in global acknowledgement of the Tibetan people’s peaceful struggle for freedom, at the 14th world summit of Nobel peace laureates in Rome. In a remarkable turn of events, Nobel laureates refused to attend the original summit, scheduled for September in South Africa, when the Dalai Lama was denied a visa owing to Chinese pressure on President Zuma’s government.[Source]