Preservation of Tibet’s Environment Vital for Billions of Lives: His Holiness

[Wednesday, 22 September 2010, 10:22 a.m.]

His Holiness the Dalai Lama being received by the Mayor of Wroclaw at the airport in Poland on 22 September 2010

Wroclaw:
Underscoring the significance of the preservation of Tibet’s
environment, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said in Poland Wednesday that
conservation of the Tibetan plateau with its glaciers and rivers is
crucial for the survival of billions of people in the neigbouring Asian
countries.”It is not only important for six million men and
women of Tibet, but the protection of the fragile environment of Tibet
with its glaciers and rivers is vital for over one billion of human
beings in different countries,” His Holiness told a gathering of over
8,000 people in the Hall of People in Wroclaw.His
Holiness said the promotion of democratic values which is sadly lacking
in China today would help in tackling corruption and achieving
stability and peace between the two most populous nations in Asia.His
Holiness explained his three “life-long commitments” in terms of
solidarity – (1) promotion of basic human values (2) promotion of
religious harmony and (3) finding a mutually acceptable solution to
resolve the issue of Tibet.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama giving a public talk in Centennial Hall

Earlier
in his introductory address, Wroclaw city mayor Rafal Dutkiewicz
described His Holiness the Dalai Lama “as a champion of freedom, love
and compassion”. Mr Dutkiewicz also requested His Holiness to “feel the
touch of warm feelings and support of thousands of citizens of
Wroclaw.” His Holiness answered that this experience was always a part
of all of his visits in Poland.His Holiness received standing ovation from the audience for his address.Following
his public address, His Holiness received members of Polish
Parliamentary Group for Tibet who arrived from Warsaw to meet him. His
Holiness asked them to engage their Chinese counterparts not only with
economic issues but also with basic democratic values like rule of law,
freedom of speech and transparency, which would help PRC to gain
international respect and trust, enabling it, as it rightly deserves,
to play important, responsible role in this world.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama with members of Polish Parliamentary Group for Tibet

Prior
to his address at the Hall of People, His Holiness visited an
exhibition commemorating the 30th anniversary solidarity movement which
transformed first Poland, than Central and Eastern Europe, former
Soviet Union and finally whole post cold war order. Among people
waiting for His Holiness was a former bus driver – one of the people
who started historical strike in Wroclaw in the year 1980. “What did
you feel at that moment”, asked His Holiness. “Desperate urge to do
something to change things for better”. “And anxiety?” “Yes, we all
felt fear, but it just had to be done”.  His Holiness the
Dalai Lama, who is a honourary citizen of Wroclaw, received warm
welcome on his arrival in the city by mayor Rafal Dutkiewicz.