DALAI LAMA RECEIVES THE WHITE LOTUS ORDER
THE HIGHEST CIVILIAN HONOUR OF THE RUSSIAN REPUBLIC OF KALMYKIA
By Phurbu Thinley
Phayul
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Original LinkDHARAMSALA - While the day can be commemorated as the 58th Anniversary of World Human Rights Day, for Tibetans it marks the 17th auspicious anniversary of the conferment of the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama (in 1989). But this year there is one more special reason for Tibetans to celebrate the day in complete delight.
In a special ceremony held here today, coinciding the special occasion of the day, the exiled Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama was presented the White Lotus Order, the highest civilian award of the Russia’s Republic of Kalmykia, by its President Mr. Kirsan Nikolayevich llyumzhinov.
The grand ceremony was celebrated with Tibetan, local Indian and Kalmykian artists presenting their respective cultural songs and dances.
The award is bestowed upon His Holiness for his outstanding merits and considerable contribution for the prosperity and the revival of spirituality in the Republic country.
TIPA artists performing traditional Tibetan dance. (Photo by Tenzin Dasel)
TIPA artists performing traditional Tibetan dance. (Photo by Tenzin Dasel)
His Holiness the Dalai Lama on accepting the award with great humility said that the award is a collective recognition to the innate compassionate nature of the Tibetan people that is so deeply rooted in Tibetan Buddhist culture.
“This award is for all of us” His Holiness told the people gathered at the ceremony here today.
His Holiness also thanked the Kalmykian President for his consistent effort to revive and strengthen spirituality in his country and added “I am a personal witness to his unfailing endeavour in this regard”.
In his brief speech before finally presenting the award to His Holiness, Kalmykian President said, “At a time when our long shared cultural and spiritual values are endangered by hostile factors, there is an urgent need to come together hand in hand to preserve and promote them”.
Later meeting separately with media people, Mr. llyumzhinov assured exiled Tibetan community of continued support and cooperation in the cultural and spiritual spheres and in terms of economic assistance.
In his introductory speech, Mr. Vijay Singh Mankotia, Former Minister of Himmachal State and presently a parliamentarian expressed greetings and salutation to His Holiness on behalf of the Chief Minister and the people of the State for the honour that is being bestowed upon him.
While welcoming the Republic’s high level delegation, led by their President and Chairman of Kalmyki’s Congress, Mr. Kichikov Igor, to the hill town, Tibetan Prime Minister in exile, Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche expressed appreciation to the delegation members for conferring the award to His Holiness.
Rinpoche described the award as a testimony to the close ties Tibetans and described the award a testimony member Kalmyks have enjoyed since ancient times and said it will serve as a source of immense encouragement to the Tibetans in and outside Tibet.
Speaking of the importance of the day in terms of Human Rights concerns, Rinpoche touched the latest tragic incident on the Nangpa La pass in which Chinese border guards shot at innocent Tibetans fleeing into exile and also raised concerns over the continuing transfer of Chinese into Tibetans territories.
The latest award comes in line with the conferment of Canada’s Honorary Citizenship to His Holiness earlier this year and the Bill passed to award US Congressional Gold Medal.
Two other major events are to follow later in the evening here today. While special founding anniversary programme is being organized by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), the only Tibetan NGO working within the premise of human rights and democracy, marking its ten years of existence, International Himalaya Festival initiated by the Indo-Tibetan Friendship Society will be held as usual at the main temple.
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