By Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, May 5: A notable figure in the Tibetan advocacy movement in the United States and a close friend of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Rep. Nancy Pelosi was honoured with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honour of the United States on Friday.
During the ceremony, US President Biden took a moment to highlight each honouree, commending their unwavering commitment to “curiosity, innovation, creativity, and optimism.” He specifically lauded Speaker Pelosi as the “greatest Speaker of the House of Representatives in history,” attributing her remarkable achievements to her extraordinary leadership and legislative prowess.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s historic milestones were also recognised during the event. In 2007, she made history by becoming the first woman to assume the role of Speaker of the House, marking a watershed moment in American politics. Subsequently, in 2019, she made history once more by being re-elected to this prestigious position. Notably, President Biden emphasised how she utilised her exceptional abilities to pass some of the most transformative laws in the nation’s history through Congress.
The former Speaker of the House has long been an advocate for the Tibetan cause. In 2020, during her tenure as Speaker, she delivered an address on the floor of the House of Representatives in support of H.R. 4331, known as the Tibet Policy Act of 2019, bipartisan legislation aimed to support the aspirations of the Tibetan people in safeguarding their unique cultural identity.
In her remarks, she voiced strong support for the Tibet Policy Act of 2019, expressing, “I rise in support of the Tibetan Policy Act of 2019: strong, bipartisan and urgently-needed legislation to strengthen America’s commitment to the Tibetan people and their right to safeguard their distinct identity. If we don’t speak out for human rights in China because of commercial interests, then we lose all moral authority to speak out for human rights in any other place in the world. I urge a strong vote for this legislation and support the Tibetan people as they seek to defend their culture, their identity, and their pursuit of a future of freedom and dignity.”
Among other priorities, Speaker Pelosi has consistently criticised the Chinese regime for its interference in the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. As a closely of the His Holiness Dalai Lama, she has actively supported the ‘Middle Way Approach’ a policy advocated by the Tibetan leader seeking genuine autonomy for Tibet. “I heard His Holiness first describe his ‘Middle Way Approach’ for Tibet, and it was an approach about autonomy, not about independence. So when the Chinese say that it’s about independence, that’s not what it ever has been about as far as His Holiness’s presentation on Capitol Hill, or to the world.”
“In 1987, when I first came to Congress, I heard Tom Lantos – I mentioned the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission – Tom Lantos invited me to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama, to be in a small meeting with him. I heard His Holiness first describe his ‘Middle Way Approach’ for Tibet, and it was an approach about autonomy, not about independence. So when the Chinese say that it’s about independence, that’s not what it ever has been about as far as His Holiness’s presentation on Capitol Hill, or to the world,” she also said in support of the Tibet Policy Act of 2019.
In 2023, during the fourth day of its budget session, the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile unanimously passed a “Resolution of Gratitude” to honour Nancy Pelosi. The resolution acknowledged Speaker Pelosi’s unwavering support and tireless advocacy on behalf of Tibet and Tibetans in holding China accountable for its oppression of the Tibetan people and its denial of their fundamental rights.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom, established by President Harry S. Truman in 1945, is one of the highest civilian awards of the United States, presented to individuals who have made especially exceptional contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or cultural or other significant public or private endeavours.
