We expected Nelson Mandela, Mikhail Gorbachev, Vaclav Havel or the Czechoslovak dissidents… It was finally the Dalai Lama who received the Nobel Peace Prize. Indeed, on October 5, 1989, in Oslo, the spiritual leader of the Tibetans, exiled since his flight from Lhasa in March 1959, was rewarded for his non-violent struggle for the independence of his country. With this gesture, the Nobel Committee intended to celebrate both the thirtieth anniversary of Chinese repression in Tibet, but also the altruistic fight of the Dalai Lama for peace in the world. During the press conference, the XNUMXth Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, declared that “the Tibetans today face a real possibility of elimination both as a people and as a nation”. The whole world, with the exception of Beijing which expressed its "indignation", hailed this distinction, which was to permanently change the perception of Buddhism in the West. Today, Tibet is still under Chinese occupation.
Henry Oudin is a Buddhist scholar, spiritual adventurer and journalist. He is a passionate seeker of the depths of Buddhist wisdom, and travels regularly to learn more about Buddhism and spiritual cultures. By sharing his knowledge and life experiences on Buddhist News, Henry hopes to inspire others to embrace more spiritual and mindful ways of living.