Melbourne, Australia, 10 December 2009 (ATC) - His
Holiness the Dalai Lama has wrapped-up his eleven-day visit to
Australia and New Zealand, spending his final day in Melbourne. Today,
International Human Rights Day, marked twenty years since His Holiness
was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
The day began with a breakfast function organized by Australia
Tibet Council and Amnesty International to celebrate the anniversary
and give His Holiness the opportunity to address an influential
Australian and international audience.
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His Holiness
addresses a large Australian and international audience on the 20th
anniversary of his Nobel Peace Prize (ATC)Photo: Rusty Stewart
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The event, titled “Peace Through Justice”, saw His
Holiness share the stage with Prof. Larissa Behrendt, a prominent
indigenous Australian. The event focussed on the importance of truth,
justice and respect for human rights in the lasting resolution of
conflict.
After a traditional indigenous “Welcome to Country” Professor
Larissa Behrendt spoke about the ongoing plight of Australia’s
indigenous people. Prof. Behrendt highlighted the ongoing
voicelessness, exclusion, insecurity and deprivation of aboriginal
Australians and the universal right to freedom from poverty.
In a half-hour address His Holiness discussed the
situation facing many of the world’s indigenous peoples, expressing
particular sadness at the conditions facing indigenous Australians.
Nonetheless, with his ever-hopeful, practical and forward-looking
perspective, His Holiness spoke of the enormous gains in human rights
protection over the last century and urged all minority and indigenous
peoples to make extra efforts to preserve their identity and culture.
The celebration of His Holiness’s Nobel Peace Prize anniversary
continued with a felicitation by the Han-Tibetan Friendship
Association. In the company of several Federal Parliamentarians and
other dignitaries, over five hundred Tibetans and Chinese took part in
an elaborate felicitation featuring speeches and cultural performances.
His Holiness then met with members of the Australian All-Party
Parliamentary Group for Tibet, who presented him with a report on their
recent activities in support of Tibet.
In the final event of His Holiness’s Australian visit and
rounding-off a series of public talks on the theme of responsibility,
His Holiness addressed several thousand Melbournians on the theme of
“World Peace: Who is Responsible?”
