DHARAMSHALA: His Holiness the Dalai Lama today congratulated Desmond Tutu, anti-apartheid champion and former Anglican archbishop of Cape Town, for winning the 2013 Templeton Prize for his life-long work in advancing spiritual principles such as love and forgiveness which has helped to liberate people around the world.

“I am very happy,” said His Holiness the Dalai Lama while talking to the Hindustan Times at the Kangra airport near Dharamsala before leaving on European tour. “The Templeton prize to Tutu is a clear sign of recognition to his contribution. He is not only a religious leader, but also was involved with Nelson Mandela during the freedom struggle,” he said, adding that after that he committed to reconciliation. “Wonderful work so my congratulations,” His Holiness was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times.

Tutu became a key player in the campaign to abolish apartheid, for which he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, using his pulpit to bring worldwide attention to the crusade for justice and racial conciliation in South Africa. He later played a prominent role in ushering in rapid changes in South Africa, including the freeing of Mandela and other imprisoned activists, and the eventual complete dismantling of the apartheid system.

Tutu will receive the prize at a public ceremony at the Guildhall in London on 21 May. The prize, valued at £1.1 million (about $1.7 million or €1.3 million) – the world’s largest annual monetary award for the past 40 years – honors a living person who has made exceptional contributions to affirming life’s spiritual dimension, the John Templeton Foundation has announced.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama was honoured with the Templeton prize in 2012 for his long-standing engagement with multiple dimensions of science and with people far beyond his own religious traditions.  The John Templeton Foundation specifically cited His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s investigative reviews of the power of compassion and its potential to address global problems.

Desmond Tutu’s Journey to Dharamsala

Archbishop Desmond Tutu visited the Tibetan community in Dharamsala in February 2012. Addressing a gathering attended by His Holiness the Dalai Lama during that visit, 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.”