dalai lama

On March 18th, 2023, His Holiness, The 14th Dalai Lama received Be Great!’s first-ever Legacy Humanitarian Award in Dharmsala, India.

The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, has dedicated his life to humanitarian work, global peace, and the promotion of compassion and nonviolence. His efforts are recognized worldwide, having been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for advocating peaceful solutions based on tolerance and mutual respect to preserve the historical and cultural heritage of the Tibetan people and to protect minority rights.​

Key Humanitarian Efforts

• After fleeing Tibet during the 1959 uprising, the Dalai Lama established the Tibetan government-in-exile and helped resettle some 80,000 Tibetan refugees in India, putting a strong focus on agriculture, education, and the preservation of Tibetan culture and religious practices.​
• He promoted the founding or refounding of over 200 monasteries and nunneries in exile, preserving Tibetan Buddhism and the Tibetan way of life.​
• In exile, he established a separate Tibetan educational system to teach language, history, and culture, and founded institutions like the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts and the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies.​
• The Dalai Lama has been a vocal advocate for human rights and nonviolence, repeatedly appealing to the United Nations and world leaders on behalf of the Tibetan people. These efforts resulted in three UN General Assembly resolutions in the 1960s urging respect for Tibetans’ human rights.​
• He outlined his vision for a democratic, demilitarized, and ecologically protected Tibet and voluntarily introduced democratic reforms to the Tibetan exile community, including transferring his own political authority to an elected leader—an uncommon act among global leaders.​
• His teachings and public talks stress universal compassion, interfaith dialogue, and environmental stewardship, emphasizing the need for shared human values to address global problems.​
• The Dalai Lama engages in interfaith work to build bridges between different religious communities and frequently collaborates with scientists for ethical and educational advancement.​
• The Dalai Lama’s humanitarian and peace-building work has been recognized through numerous international awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize, the Templeton Prize, and honorary doctorates from various universities.​

Focus Areas

• Nonviolence and peaceful advocacy for Tibet
• Safeguarding Tibetan culture and language
• Human rights and minority rights
• Interfaith understanding and dialogueUniversal compassion and ethical conduct
• Environmental advocacy and ecological awareness

The Dalai Lama continues to champion these causes from his base in Dharamshala, India, and remains a globally influential figure for peace, humanitarianism, and compassionate leadership.