His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama was born in a small village called Takster (Roaring Tiger) in the Amdo Province of Tibet on July 6, 1935 to a peasant family. The young Dalai Lama, then named Lhamo Dhondup (Goddess of Wish-Fulfillment) was recognized at the age of two in accordance with Tibetan tradition, as the reincarnation of his predecessor, the 13th Dalai Lama.

Tibetans consider the Dalai Lama to be the manifestation of Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. Bodhisattvas, in Buddhist terminology, are heroic beings who have chosen the path to supreme enlightenment in order to benefit all beings.

Just before he turned five, the Dalai Lama was officially enthroned as the spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet in Lhasa (Land of Gods), the capitol city of Tibet. There he received a traditional Tibetan Buddhist and political education beginning at the age of six. At the age of 16, in 1950 he assumed full political power in Tibet. By then, the Chinese had invaded Tibet. At 25, he earned the Geshe degree (Doctorate in Buddhist Metaphysics).

After the unsuccessful revolt of the Tibetan people against Chinese occupation the Dalai Lama was forced to escape into exile. The Dalai Lama has made the town of Dharamsala in India his second home, where he heads the Tibetan Government-in-Exile. Today, there are more than 120,000 Tibetans living in exile all over the world.

The Dalai Lama works tirelessly to negotiate a peaceful solution to the issue of Tibet. He has spent his life traveling extensively around the world spreading his universal message of tolerance, mutual respect, and compassion. His courageous leadership, distinguished writings, and advocacy for peaceful solutions to international conflicts, human rights issues, and global environmental problems has earned him worldwide respect and recognition.

The Dalai Lama is the recipient of numerous awards from all over the world. Those awards include the 1989 Nobel Prize for Peace, the Albert Schweitzer Humanitarian Award (USA), the Raoul Wallenberg Congressional Human Rights Award (USA), Prix de Memoire (France), the Lincoln Award (USA), the Dr. Leopold Lucas Prize (Germany), the Peace Medal (Mongolia), the Bi-annual Award for the Foundation for Freedom and Human Rights (Switzerland), the Palketta Award (Norway). He has also received eighteen honorary doctorate degrees.