House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi posted this photo on her Facebook Page, writing, “Our delegation visits the Dalai Lama in his spirit of faith and peace, coming to be inspired and demonstrate our commitment to the Tibetan people.”
A U.S. Congressional delegation traveled to Dharamsala, India to meet with His Holiness the Dalai Lama Tuesday in an effort to draw attention to the human rights situation in Tibet, Reuters reports.
The delegation of eight is led by the leader of the Democratic Party in the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, who previously met with His Holiness during the U.S. Congress delegation in 2008. She is joined by Jim Sensenbrenner, Eliot Engel, Jim McGovern, Betty McCollum, Judy Chu, Joyce Beatty and Pramila Jayapal, the first Indian American woman to be elected to the House of Representatives, for a two-day visit.
“As we visit His Holiness the Dalai Lama, our bipartisan delegation comes in his spirit of faith and peace. We come on this visit to be inspired by His Holiness and demonstrate our commitment to the Tibetan people, to their faith, their culture, and their language,” Pelosi said.
His Holiness fled Tibet in 1959 and took exile in India, where he lives to this day. During the meeting, His Holiness said he would be willing to visit China again, but cannot as China still considers him a “dangerous splittist.”
“This is my home, this is my second home. My real home — other side,” His Holiness said in reference to his refugee status in India.
“Here the last 58 years I am the longest guest of Indian government, but, emotionally, some concern about deep inside Tibet,” he said.
On Wednesday, the Tibetan Government-in-Exile (TGIE) will hold an official reception for the delegation, which His Holiness will attend. They will also meet with the president of the Central Tibetan Administration, Lobsang Sangay.
