Tibet Information Office Australia

His Holiness the Dalai Lama poses in Beverly Hills, California, on 20 February 2010.

Dharamshala: His Holiness arrived in Los Angeles on Friday and planned to spend the weekend here in support of Whole Child International, a nonprofit organization that works on behalf of orphaned and abandoned children.

In an interview with Los Angeles Times, His Holiness said “there had been no progress in the latest round of talks with China over his call for genuine autonomy in Tibet”.

Still, His Holiness said growing support from Chinese people could help in making progress. “The number of Chinese intellectuals and writers [coming] out, they openly support our middle way approach and [are] very critical of their own government policy,” His Holiness told LA Times. Read the rest »

His Holiness the Dalai Lama had two main events. In the morning he joined a small group discussion on improving childcare worldwide, particularly care for orphan children. In the afternoon, His Holiness attended a luncheon reception where he received the first Whole Child International Humanitarian Award and participated in a question and session with TV journalist Giselle Fernandez.

His Holiness The Dalai Lama smiles after receiving the National Endowment for Democracy's Democracy Service Medal during a ceremony at the Library of Congress in Washington, on 19 February 2010/REUTERS PHOTO

His Holiness started the day at 9 am by holding private audiences in his room at the Hotel Montage with members of the Whole Child International, a charity organisation dedicated to improving orphanage care-giving that is hosting His Holiness in Los Angeles.

Then from 9:30-11:30 am, His Holiness participated in a small discussion held in the hotel titled “Compassion in Action: Cultivating the Intimate Care for Vulnerable Children Globally”. There were about fifteen attendees who included Whole Child representatives, child-care experts and academics, philanthropists. They explored how to improve care giving in orphanages around the world while at the same time promoting government and institutional funding for better care-giving for orphan children.

Among the attendees were Nilmini Rubin, Senior Member of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Ruth Levine from the Center for Global Development; Gary Newton, US Government Special Advisor for Orphans and Vulnerable Children; and Robert McCall, Co-Director of the University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development.

Mrs Karen Gordon, founder of Whole Child International, which is dedicated towards improving the lot of orphans worldwide by shifting the focus in orphan care from speed and efficiency to love and compassion, introduced the organisation. Mrs Gordon isolated three elements that Whole Child seeks to change in the way orphanages function: management, the caregiver’s relationship to the orphan and the physical environment for the child. She added that Whole Child seeks sustainable improvement in childcare by focusing on local capacity building, creation of early childhood specialisation in academia and elevation of childcare through regulation. Read the rest »

His Holiness the Dalai Lama (C) receives the National Endowment for Democracy's Democracy Service Medal during a ceremony at the Library of Congress in Washington, on 19 February 2010. The National Endowment for Democracy's President Carl Gershman (L) and Vice Chairman Judy Shelton clap after presenting the award/Photo: Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

The National Endowment for Democracy presented His Holiness the Dalai Lama with the Democracy Service Medal in recognition of the Tibetan temporal and spiritual leader’s commitment to advancing the principles of democracy and human dignity. His Holiness the Dalai Lama in his remarks talked about the history of the struggles of the Tibetan people in the past 50 years.

(Click here to watch the award ceremony)

Washington, DC: His Holiness the Dalai Lama visited the Library of Congress this morning for his final programme in Washington, DC during this visit. His Holiness was received at the Library by Librarian Dr. James Billington, Carl Gershman, the president of National Endowment for Democracy (NED), and NED Board Vice Chair Judy Shelton. His Holiness then viewed some exhibits of the Library’s vast Tibetan collection, which included a Thangka depicting the Gaden Lhagyalma, presented by the 13th Dalai Lama to the American diplomat and scholar William Rockhill, who were both in Wutaishan in China, on 21 June 1908.

His Holiness then proceeded to the auditorium after attending a small reception.

Librarian Billington made an initial introductory remark in which he talked about the Library and its Tibetan collection. He said His Holiness had visited the Library of Congress twice before. He mentioned that the Library represents the democratic belief that truly representative government has to be based on knowledge and the freedom to use it.

His Holiness then talked about the Library’s Tibetan collection, which included Rockhill’s collection of books between 1888 and 1892. Billington said that the presentation of the artefacts by the 13th Dalai Lama to Rockhill has been described by historians as probably the first direct cultural contact between Tibet and the United States. Saying he is specially honoured to welcome His Holiness today, Billington said, “Your presence highlights and pays tribute to preserving the cultural and historic legacy of the Tibetan experience.”

His Holiness then introduced Judy Shelton, NED Vice Chair. She welcomed everyone to the event and gave an overview of the NED’s work. NED has supported the democratic aspirations of the Tibetan people for over 20 years. She said the projects included building democratic awareness and institutions among Tibetans in exile and to increase meaningful interaction between Tibetans and Chinese. Before inviting NED President Carl Gershman to make his remarks, Judy recognized several distinguished individuals who were present on the occasion, including former State Department officials William Taft, Paula Dobriansky, and ICT Chairman Richard Gere. Read the rest »

President Barack Obama meets with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in the Map Room of the White House on 18 February 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Washington, DC: US President Barack Obama met this morning at the White House with His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama. The President stated his “strong support for the preservation of Tibet’s unique religious, cultural and linguistic identity and the protection of human rights for Tibetans in the People’s Republic of China”.

The President commended the Dalai Lama’s “Middle Way” approach, his commitment to nonviolence and his pursuit of dialogue with the Chinese government. The President stressed that he has “consistently encouraged both sides to engage in direct dialogue to resolve differences and was pleased to hear about the recent resumption of talks”.

The President and the Dalai Lama agreed on the importance of a positive and cooperative relationship between the United States and China.

“Today’s meeting is a clear demonstration of President Obama’s support for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s efforts to resolve the Tibet issue as well as of his personal respect for him,” said Lodi Gyari, the Special Envoy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama answers questions outside his hotel on 18 February 2010 in Washington, DC. Earlier in the day His Holiness met with US President Barack and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Photo:GETTY IMAGES

Washington, DC: His Holiness the Dalai Lama began his programme with a visit to the White House for his meeting with President Barack Obama. On his arrival at the White House, His Holiness was received by Ambassador Capricia Marshall, the Chief of Protocol of the United States Government and was led to the Map Room. His Holiness was accompanied by Special Envoy Lodi Gyari, Representative Lobsang Nyandak Zayul and Secretary Tenzin N. Taklha. President Obama was accompanied to the meeting by Presidential Advisor Valerie Jarrett and Senior Asia Director Jeff Bader.

His Holiness and the President met from around 11:20 till around 12:30 pm. In a statement the White House Press Secretary said “the President commended the Dalai Lama’s “Middle Way” approach, his commitment to nonviolence and his pursuit of dialogue with the Chinese government.”

His Holiness gave a brief remark to the White House press during which he expanded on what he had discussed with the President. (click here to watch) His Holiness said he felt honoured meeting the President of the greatest democratic country. Since childhood, His Holiness said he had admired America, not as a military power, but as a champion of human value and human creativity. His Holiness told the media that he had apprised President Obama about his three commitments of promoting human values, promoting religious harmony, and resolving the Tibetan issue. Female biologically more sensitive to others’ pain and suffering and the President agreed with this. I said I wished that more female should take leadership role. On the second commitment, he suggested that while keeping to one’s own religion people should respect others’ religious tradition. Read the rest »