Dr. Lobsang Sangay urges President Trump to meet Dalai Lama in an article published in The Hill. The President of Central Tibetan Administration said that while the President Trump is reaching out to religious leaders across the world, he should also meet the Dalai Lama who is one of the most important religious leaders in the world.
“On his first foreign trip, President Trump has met with King Salman in Saudi Arabia, the home of Mecca and Medina, the holiest shrines of Islam. He met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel and visited the Western Wall, all that remains of the Jewish Temple Mount. And he then met with Pope Francis in the Vatican.” writes Dr. Sangay.
“As the president has reached out to adherents of the world’s interconnected monotheistic religions — Islam, Christianity and Judaism — he should also meet with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. His Holiness is the most visible and important Buddhist leader in the world and has throughout his life been a proponent of the highest ideals of Buddhism, including non-violence, compassion, equanimity and kindness.” he added.
He said that such a meeting would assist in bringing those principles to bear on the issues of world peace and nonviolence. The president explains that there are estimated 700 million Buddhists in the world today, including 300 million in China, and 6 million in Tibet. He then urged that it is important for the President Trump to understand how the situation inside Tibet could be improved.
While explaining that the Central Tibetan Administration’s approach to resolving the Tibet issue properly aligns with the US Tibet Policy Act in 2002, supported by every US president since then, he asks Donald Trump to recognize the Middle Way Policy in restoring human rights and religious right for people inside Tibet while he is respecting the ‘One China Policy’.
He also requested the President to appoint the Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues at the State Department which has been vacant since his inauguration as soon as possible. He said that the person in this role has played a critical function engaging in political and humanitarian efforts.
“Each and every U.S. president since George H.W. Bush has met with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Each of these presidents reported the meeting provided a fresh and unique view on political and spiritual issues that currently confront us as a global community. President Trump and His Holiness the Dalai Lama would certainly find much to discuss as we see the world torn by violence and conflict.” he said in the conclusion of the article.