The Dalai Lama attended a conference on Tibet under the theme, 'Compassion & Respect: Our Common Future', at the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver, Canada. Over 110 Chinese people participated in the conference.
Writer Sheng Xue welcomed Dalai Lama and laid out the background to their initiative.
Dalai Lama began his remarks by referring to the current situation in China where there was an atmosphere of fear. He said in a few days they will be celebrating the 60th year of the People’s Republic of China, but an occasion that should naturally be one of celebration and openness is being seen as a risk with security precaution taking a dominant role.
Dalai Lama said that change was inevitable in China, but the question was the nature in which it will take place. He said he was for a gradual transformation of China. He talked about his admiration for the Chinese nation. He said he had supported Olympics for China (which he said was acknowledged by one member of the International Olympics Committee as having made their task easier in the selection of Beijing) and how he was sincerely trying to find a resolution to the Tibetan problem under the framework of the People’s Republic of China. He then referred to the lack of positive response from the Chinese leadership. Dalai Lama then spoke about his confidence and hopes in the Chinese people.
Dalai Lama then answered questions from the conference delegates on issues like the importance of the Tibetan plateau’s environment to the role of religion and the future of the dialogue process.
Information for this report was provided by ICT.