His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu at the latter's welcome ceremony in Dharamshala on 10 Feb, 2012.
DHARAMSHALA: The Tibetan and Indian community in Dharamsala felicitated South Africa’s Nobel Peace Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a close and good friend of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, at a public ceremony in Dharamsala this morning. (Watch video)
His Holiness the Dalai Lama welcomed Archbishop Desmond Tutu at the Kangra Airport in the morning.
“I welcome a great person today. He is a great and world renowned personality. His contributions are not limited to one scope or in just one field. His greatness is accumulated as a result of a lifelong effort to create happiness and well being for others,” His Holiness the Dalai Lama said in his welcome address.
The courtyard of the main temple reverberated with thunderous applause from thousands of Tibetans in honour of Archbishop Tutu.
“He is a person who strongly advocates the importance of love, compassion and equality. Even in his own country South Africa, he along with Nelson Mandela, have worked wholeheartedly through non violence for equal rights and genuine democracy in their country,” His Holiness said.
“The most important thing is that, even after the victory of democracy and equal rights in his country, uneasy feelings of animosity and ill will have remained within people. Archbishop Tutu has made special efforts to reconcile the people, and remove the feelings of unease and ill will towards each other. Reconciliation is very important because what happens is that sometimes after a problem is solved, feelings of ill will and hatred still remain. These hidden feelings of hatred may create problems later in time. So the reconciliation efforts made by Archbishop Tutu is very essential and significant.”
His Holiness the Dalai Lama appealed to his fellow Nobel Laureate to pray for the cause of Tibet. “Tibetans are passing through a difficult period. Our sophisticated and compassionate nature of Tibetan culture is really facing a lot of difficulties. So please pray for these in you daily prayers,” His Holiness said.
Presenting a stupa as a memento to Archbishop Tutu, His Holiness said in the citation: “In recognition of your exemplary contribution to justice, equality, non violence, conflict resolution and reconciliation, I present to you this stupa, a Tibetan Choeten, symbol of wisdom and compassion with my prayers that your good work may continue for many years to come.”
In his address, Archbishop Desmond Tutu said: “I want to say to Chinese government that His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the most peace loving person on earth. I want to say to Chinese government that His Holiness the Dalai Lama has no army, he does not command his people with guns, he is not a separatist.”
“Please, you leaders in Beijing, please we beg you, allow Tibet to be what the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China commits. The Constitution allows for autonomy and that is all His Holiness the Dalai Lama and his people want.
“We beg you and at the same time remind you too that this is a moral universe. There is no way in which injustice, oppression, and evil can ever have the last word,” Archbishop Tutu said in his message to the Chinese leadership.
To the Tibetan people, he said: “We will visit you in Tibet. We will enter a free Tibet.”
Earlier speaking at the ceremony, Mr Ajai Singh Mankotia, one of the most respected Indian citizens in Dharamsala and trusted friend of Tibet, deeply thanked His Holiness the Dalai Lama for bringing a world renowned figure like Archbishop Tutu, to Dharamsala.
Mr Singh strongly beseeched Archbishop Tutu to further espouse and champion the cause of human rights, including those of the Tibetan people.
The entire Central Tibetan Administration headed by Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay attended the felicitation ceremony. A colourful cultural performance was also presented to welcome Archbishop Tutu on his first visit to Dharamsala.
Archbishop Tutu attended a luncheon reception hosted by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, following which he left for New Delhi.
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