Special Envoy’s Statement on the arrival of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Washington, DCTuesday, 6 October 2009, 9:34 a.m.
Washington, DC:
His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrived Monday in Washington, DC, for a
five-day visit today during which he will meet Speaker Pelosi and other
Congressional leaders. His Holiness has many years of personal close
friendship with many members of Congress and he is greatly appreciative
of the consistent and strong bipartisan support extended by the US
Congress to the Tibetan people. The US Congress bestowed the
Congressional Gold Medal upon His Holiness in 2007. His
Holiness will not be meeting with President Obama on this visit. From
the outset, there has been no question of President Obama not at the
appropriate time meeting His Holiness, whom he holds in great esteem.
Taking a broader and long-term perspective, His Holiness agreed to meet
the President after the November US-China Summit,” Mr Lodi Gyari,
Special Envoy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama said.”His Holiness
the Dalai Lama has always been supportive of American engagement with
China. Our hope is that the cooperative US-Chinese relationship that
President Obama’s administration seeks will create conditions that
support the resolution of the legitimate grievances of the Tibetan
people.The decision to send a high-level delegation headed by
his senior advisor and close friend Valerie Jarrett, accompanied by
Under Secretary Maria Otero, Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, to
Dharamsala, indicates a new approach on Tibet by the US administration.
His Holiness conveyed to the President’s emissaries that he looks
forward to meeting with the President later this year and thanks the
President for his invitation.During his visit to Washington
this week, His Holiness will also receive the first Lantos Human Rights
Prize award by the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice,
created in the name of his close friend, the late Congressman Tom
Lantos, a world-renowned human rights advocate and friend of His
Holiness. His Holiness will also present the International
Campaign for Tibet’s Light of Truth award posthumously to Julia Taft, a
great humanitarian and former Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues,
and to a group of Chinese who have, at great personal risk, spoken out
in China about Tibet. He will also participate in a two-day Mind and
Life conference, bringing together world-renowned educators,
scientists, and contemplatives to explore the emerging field of
contemplative learning and its potential contribution to education. His
Holiness the Dalai Lama will also give a lecture on contemporary
Buddhism, “The Heart of Change: Finding Wisdom in the Modern World” at
American University.
