Dalai Lama honored
July 29, 2009
The 74-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate received the honor from Warsaw Mayor Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz.
City councilors decided in May to "honor the man who is campaigning for freedom and sovereignty for his nation," values that Warsaw officials say reflect those which Poland embraced on shedding communism in 1989.
The Dalai Lama already holds honorary citizenship from the Polish city of Wroclaw and has an honorary doctorate from the Jagiellonian University.
The exiled spiritual leader's award of honorary citizenship came on the second day of his three-day visit to Poland.
On Tuesday, the Dalai Lama lectured several hundred students at Warsaw University before visiting an exhibit commemorating the doomed 1944 Warsaw Uprising during which Polish insurgents rose up against Nazi Germany.
The rebellion, which lasted 63 days, saw 200,000 civilians and 18,000 resistance fighters massacred by the Nazis.
Lama compares Tibetan struggle to war-time Poland
After lighting a candle at the foot of a vast black memorial wall inscribed with thousands of names of Polish resistance fighters killed in the Uprising, which was launched on August 1, 1944, the Dalai Lama compared the fate of the Tibetan people to that of the Poles during World War II.
"Since 1956, in many parts of Tibet, there is a similar situation,” he said. “Even the Chinese, communist military sometimes used bombs, airplanes."
Hailing the Polish people's "desire for freedom", the Dalai Lama rang a bell decorating the memorial wall before hanging a large white scarf on it, a Buddhist symbol of purity and happiness.
"Very moving" he said following the visit. "I always admire the Polish people's spirit and also the desire for freedom," he said.
"Of course unfortunately one enemy goes and another enemy comes. (It's) seen very clearly in this museum," the Dalai Lama said referring to the fact that after Nazi Germany's defeat, Poland was ruled by a Soviet-backed communist regime.
"Now you really got genuine freedom. Freedom gives rights. I think you have to realize with rights also there is duty and responsibility..." he said.
Spiritual leader urges journalists to be "nosey"
Earlier in the day, he urged journalists to be as nosey as elephants in seeking out information for the good of society.
"I am always telling when I meet the press, media people, they should have long noses like elephants and that it should smell in front and also behind," he told the predominantly student audience at Warsaw University.
He also called on Chinese authorities to allow for freedom of information.
"In a totalitarian regime like China (there's) too much censorship, no free information - it's not only morally wrong but also practically is ultimately a source of poverty.
"All information (is) censored, all information stopped - how can you develop trust? Without trust, how can harmony, friendship develop? Impossible," he said.
Lama heading to Germany; China fumes
The visit to Poland precedes a return to Germany where he will meet with Roland Koch, the premier of the state of Hesse and a long-time friend and supporter of the Dalai Lama, outside of Frankfurt.
The Chinese reaction to his visit and the welcome afforded him by both the Polish and German government's is likely to be an angry one. Beijing accuses the Dalai Lama of wanting full independence for Tibet, a claim which he himself has called "totally baseless", insisting instead on an autonomous status for his Himalayan homeland within China.
His previous visits to European countries and the United States have angered China and have put temporary strains on relations between Beijing and Western powers. The Chinese authorities view any communication and engagement with the Dalai Lama as an appeasement and endorsement of his cause.
The Dalai Lama has lived in exile in India since fleeing Tibet after a failed uprising in 1959 against Chinese rule.
nda/AFP/ap/Reuters
Editor: Chuck Penfold