Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, Dec 30: Tibetan leaderHis Holiness the Dalai Lama has expressed condolences following the passing of former United States President Jimmy Carter.
The Tibetan spiritual leader sent a message of condolence to the President Carter’s son, Chip. “President Carter lived a truly meaningful life,” wrote His Holiness. “With decades of untiring efforts to help the poor and downtrodden, to seek peaceful solutions to conflicts, and to advance democracy and human rights throughout the world. To have remained active over the course of such a long life set an example to us all of how to live our lives in the service of others.”
Reflecting on Carter’s role in global humanitarian efforts, the 89 year old Tibetan leader acknowledged the Nobel Committee’s recognition of his contributions. “The Nobel Committee recognised his contribution to the welfare of humanity when it bestowed the Nobel Peace Prize on him in 2002,” he noted.
Expressing gratitude for Carter’s support for Tibet, His Holiness added, “The Tibetan people and I remain ever grateful to President Carter for his deep interest in and concern for the situation in Tibet and for undertaking initiatives to help alleviate the plight of our people.”
The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) held a prayer session at Sikyong Hall in Gangchen Kyishong, Dharamshala, to honour both former US President Carter and former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The session was attended by CTA officials, Nechung monks, and staff members.
Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, passed away at the age of 100 at his home in Georgia, as reported by U.S. media. Carter had been in hospice care since early 2023. He served as president from 1977 to 1981 and became the oldest living U.S. president in history until his death.
After his presidency, Carter focused on international relations and human rights. He established the Carter Centre in the 1980s to advance these efforts. In 2002, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in promoting democracy and human rights.
During his presidency, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate played a pivotal role in the Camp David Accords, facilitating peace between Egypt and Israel through agreements signed in 1978 and 1979. Later, he worked toward peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In his 2007 book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid, Carter criticised Israeli policies in the occupied Palestinian territories, describing them as apartheid.
