Dharamshala — Former US President Barack Obama met with the spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Friday in New Delhi, the capital of India, where the two Nobel laureates discussed compassion and altruism and called for action for World Peace.
Dharamshala — Former US President Barack Obama met with the spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Friday in New Delhi, the capital of India, where the two Nobel laureates discussed compassion and altruism and called for action for World Peace.
Soon after meeting the former US President, His Holiness the Dalai Lama returned back to Dharamshala. Speaking to media, the leader said, "It's a reunion of two old, I think trusted friends. Since my physical condition won't permit me to fly to America so I felt the I should visit him now and pay my tribute."
The Dalai Lama said that during the meeting with the former US President he discussed the need to promote the sense of oneness among the people. "I mentioned to him that now time has come for us to promote the sense of oneness among seven billion human beings. It is sad to see there are so much differences among people."
"The meeting lasted for 45 minutes. The meeting of the former Nobel Laureates dwelled on various topics pertaining to promoting peace in today's world torn by strife and violence.
"During the 45-minute meeting, both spoke about promoting compassion and altruism in human beings. His Holiness remarked that basically human beings are compassionate in nature but it is the kind of education imparted that makes the binary between you and me and instils a sense of selfishness and self-centeredness. Both the peace laureates discussed the kind of future they envision for the world.
"His Holiness also expressed that there have been a couple of meetings of the Nobel peace laureates but there were very less action and more of words on paper. His Holiness told Obama that laureates should meet to affect changes for the immediate future.
"His Holiness also said that since he is based in India, he is committed to reviving the ancient Indian thoughts to promote peace and compassion.
"To Obama, His Holiness said, 'You are not only a former US president but you are a Nobel laureate, you are young and you can do a lot. We should fulfil our aspiration for world peace. Maybe my generation will not see the results, but your generation will definitely see the results," Kasur Tempa Tsering said, according to the Central Tibetan Administration.
This is the two Nobel Peace Prize laureates' sixth meeting and first after Obama left office in January. Obama hosted the Dalai Lama four times in the White House: February 18, 2010, July 16, 2011, February 21, 2014, and June 15, 2016, and the two first met in 2005, when Obama was a member of the Senate.
Obama, who is on a World tour, recently met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The meeting in New Delhi was the sixth between the two Nobel Peace Prize laureates, and the first since Obama left office in January. Obama is on a five-day world tour, including stops in China and France.
Tibet was invaded by the Communist regime in China, starting in 1949. Since that time, over 1.2 million out of six Tibetans died as a direct result of China's invasion and continued occupation of Tibet, over 6000 monasteries have been looted and destroyed.
In 1959, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama along with thousands of others escaped to India, where he was given political asylum. The spiritual leader has set up a government and rebuilt monasteries where masters pass on their teachings to young monks. Tibetans in exile have succeeded in gradually rebuilding their monasteries, preserving their culture and restructuring their society and keeping it alive, in spite of the extremely difficult circumstances.
For his part, the Tibetan spiritual leader travels around the world spreading a message of Peace and Universal Responsibility. He believes that the common aim of all religions, an aim that everyone must try to find, is to foster tolerance, altruism and love. He retired from politics in 2011. But, as one among six million Tibetans, His Holiness said he will continue to serve the cause of Tibet.
