Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Oct. 2: The Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama has written to the oldest living US President Jimmy Carter, congratulating him on his 100th birthday and hailing it as “an inspiring achievement.”
The Dalai Lama who has met the former President expressed admiration for Carter’s lifelong dedication to public service and humanitarian work. “I hope you are able to celebrate joyfully with your family. The life you have lived has been truly meaningful. As you know, I have long admired your good works. To have remained so active for so long is really wonderful. Your continuing concern to be of benefit to others is an inspiration to us all. I thank you with all my heart,” the Tibetan leader wrote.
The Dalai Lama and President Carter share a long history, first meeting in 2002 and again in 2005 during the American Himalayan Foundation’s annual dinner in San Francisco. Both are Nobel Peace Prize laureates—Carter in 2002 and the Dalai Lama in 1989—and have championed peace, human rights, and compassion in their respective spheres. Carter has often expressed his admiration for the Dalai Lama’s peaceful advocacy amid Tibet’s decades-long struggle under Chinese rule.
Historical reports suggest that during Carter’s presidency, the U.S. attempted to reassure China that it viewed the Dalai Lama primarily as a religious figure, rather than a political leader.
As the oldest living U.S. President, Carter marks this historic milestone in the familiar surroundings of his long-time home in Plains, Georgia, where he is expected to spend his birthday surrounded by family.
