Dharamsala, September 9: His Holiness the Dalai Lama began his five – day visit to Slovakia and Czech Republic Tuesday. The 74-year-old Tibetan leader will today receive the International Jan Langos Award at the Pavol Orszagh Hviezdoslav Theatre in Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia. The award is given to human rights activists and right defenders in memory of the prominent former Slovak dissident Mr. Jan Langos who challenged communism and totalitarian regime in the former Czechoslovakia.
“The International Jan Langos Award is bestowed on His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama in recognition of his lifelong resistance against oppressive regime in China. Furthermore, the Foundation wants to recognize his consistent and non-violent struggle for human rights and promoting the principles of love, tolerance and compassion worldwide,” the Jan Langos Foundation said.
Today, Holiness the Dalai Lama will give a public talk on Compassion at the Pasienky sports indoor stadium in Bratislava. He will also inaugurate an exhibition on Tibet.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama will leave tomorrow for Prague, the capital city of Czech Republic, where His Holiness will address an international conference on “Peace, Democracy and Human Rights in Asia” on 11 September. Nobel Laureates, international experts, diplomats, Parliamentarians, scholars and writers will address the conference. The one-day conference is organized by the Prague based organization Forum2000.
Nobel Laureates His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Ms. Jody Williams and Mr. Frederik Willem de Klerk, former President of South Africa will take part in the conference’s discussion on “Challenges for Peace, Democracy and Human Rights in Asia”. Ms. Paula Dobriansky, former Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs, and former Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, will moderate the discussion.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama will meet Václav Havel, the former Czech President on 11 September.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama will fly back to India for India on September 12.
based on report sent by Office of Tibet, Geneva
