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Dalai Lama and Tutu to be awarded first Fetzer Prize

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Exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama (L) shares a laugh with Archbishop Desmond Tutu as they both take part in a dialogue on youth and spiritual connection as part of a five-day event to teach compassion to children in Seattle, Washington, 15 April 2008.File photo/Reuters/Robert Sorbo/US

The Dalai Lama and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu will be awarded the Fetzer Institute’s Prize for Love and Forgiveness this Sunday at the 2009 Peace Summit in Vancouver. Each will receive a $100,000 monetary prize to support their work and a handcrafted, inscribed journal. The Archbishop Emeritus’ daughter, the Reverend Mpho Tutu, will accept the prize on his behalf.

The Institute’s Prize honours the courage and persistence with which the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Emeritus Tutu have both worked to bring love, compassion and forgiveness to all that they do, as well as their ability to inspire these same impulses in others around the world.

“Love, compassion and forgiveness have the power to change, the power to heal and the power to transform any situation—no matter how violent or troubled—into something that is generative and life-giving,” said Tom Beech, president and CEO of the Institute.

“The Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu are renowned, revered, respected and loved the world over. In giving this award, the Fetzer Institute celebrates their humanity and the consistency with which their lives stand for compassion in the face of isolation, love in the face of fear and forgiveness in the face of violence.”

By presenting the Institute’s first Prize for Love and Forgiveness jointly to both men, the Fetzer Institute recognises the rich friendship and profound joy shared by the and Archbishop Emeritus Tutu. The men dedicate their lives to promoting human dignity—lending their voices and leadership to a broad spectrum of issues.

As part of the Fetzer Institute’s work to promote the awareness of the power of love, forgiveness and compassion, the Institute is the primary sponsor of the Charter for Compassion, a collaborative effort to build a peaceful and harmonious global community. The Charter is the result of noted author and scholar Karen Armstrong’s one wish to change the world. The Charter for Compassion will be unveiled formally in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, 12 November 2009.

“As the Charter’s primary sponsor, Fetzer will have an exciting opportunity to support a worldwide conversation about the need for greater compassion in the world,” noted Shirley Showalter, Vice President of Programmes.

Through the Prize, its sponsorship of the Charter for Compassion and other key programmes, the Fetzer Institute hopes to inspire people everywhere to advance love and forgiveness in their own lives and communities—forming deeper connections and calling all people to act compassionately.

The award ceremony will be Web cast at www.fetzer.org 12:30 pm ET, Sunday, 27 September.

Copyright © 2009 Business Wire

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