DHARAMSHALA, August 29: Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama on Wednesday spoke about his hope and dream in honour of the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic “I have a dream” speech delivered on August 28, 1963 to some 250,000 protestors during the “March on Washington” in Washington, DC calling for an end to racism in the United States.
In a minute-long video shot especially for the occasion, the Dalai Lama said, “I always have one dream that within this century the world truly become a real happy human family. In order to achieve that, we really need (to have) sense of oneness of humanity. I think through education, through more holistic (and) realistic thinking, I have confidence (that) through education (and) through awareness I think we can develop a sense of oneness of humanity. Then the very basis of violence (and) very basis of war (will) no longer (be) there and this century will become a century of peace (and) non-violence.
In 2009, the Tibetan leader paid tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. by visiting the site of the latter’s assassination in Memphis. He said he often invoked King’s name as an example of a freedom fighter who was a true practitioner of nonviolence.
“This history event gives us conviction today the struggle for justice, against inequality, discrimination … despite many difficulties and obstacles, can be won,” the Dalai Lama had said at the site where he offered a Tibetan scarf over a wreath as a mark of respect.
The Tibetan leader also appeared alongside Mr Martin Luther King III, son of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the Verizon Centre during an event to mark the Tibetan leader’s 76th birthday in 2011.
King Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement, best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience, for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on October 14, 1964. He was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee.
