His Holiness the Dalai Lama presents Light of Truth Awards in Washington, DC
On behalf of the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT), His Holiness the Dalai Lama yesterday presented the Light of Truth award to two recipients, the late Julia Taft, who was appointed Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues in 1999 as well as serving on the board of ICT from 2002; and to Wang Lixiong, the Chinese writer who co-authored and disseminated a petition calling on the Chinese authorities to exercise restraint and caution in their response to the wave of protests that swept Tibet in March 2008. Wang received the award on behalf of all of the signatories to the petition “Twelve Suggestion for Handling the Tibetan Situation.” Julia Taft passed away in 2008, and her award was received by her husband, William H. Taft IV.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama was presented on stage by Speaker of the United States Congress, Nancy Pelosi.
In his acceptance speech before an audience of several hundred people attending the ceremony at the Shakespeare Theater in Washington, DC, Wang Lixiong expressed concern for a co-author of the petition Liu Xiaobo, who was detained by police in December 2008 after writing a manifesto for democratic reforms in China. “Charter 08” was also widely circulated in China as a petition, and several of its signatories were present in the auditorium yesterday. Liu was formally charged in June 2009 with the crime of “incitement to subvert state power,” and faces a maximum term of life imprisonment if convicted.
Wang Lixiong was careful to stress in his speech that he was not “taking sides” by offering criticism of the Chinese government, and that his stance should not be regarded as “anti-China” – sentiments later echoed by the Dalai Lama. Instead, Wang insisted it was the pursuit of truth which put him and other signatories of the petition on Tibet in opposition with the Chinese government. “Daring to criticize the government is done for the good of China, but a government that cannot accept criticism can only bring harm to China,” he said to applause.
Wang Lixiong was introduced by former US ambassador to China, Winston Lord, who praised the “valor and significance” of the petition “Twelve Suggestion for Handling the Tibetan Situation.” He also spoke of his hope that the official verdict of the June 4, 1989 Tiananmen Massacre would in future be overturned “so that ‘hooligans’ will become heroes and ‘black hands’ will become harbingers of history,” adding that Wang Lixiong and the other signatories of the petition are also “true heroes and harbingers of history.”
Ambassador Paula Dobriansky, former Special Coordinator on Tibetan Issues, introduced the late Julia Taft, describing the energy, drive and humor she brought to all of her posts throughout a long and distinguished career. However, she added that the issue of Tibet and the plight of Tibetan refugees had always been one of the closest to her heart, not least because of her personal friendship with the Dalai Lama.
In the Dalai Lama’s comments closing the award ceremony, he talked about his admiration for Julia Taft and Wang Lixiong, adding that the label of being “pro-Tibet” does not and should not make someone automatically “anti-China”, and that rather people who are “pro-Tibet” are in fact “pro-justice”.
The Light of Truth award was first presented in 1996, and is bestowed upon individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the public understanding of Tibet and the plight of the Tibetan people. Previous recipients include Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Vaclev Havel, and Martin Scorsese.
Watch the Light of Truth Awards on YouTube.
Transcripts of speeches, including a transcript of the Dalai Lama’s comments, will be added as they become available.
>> Wang Lixiong’s acceptance speech for the Light of Truth Award
>> Comments by Mary Beth Markey, ICT Vice President, on opening the 2009 Light of Truth Award ceremony
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