Tibetan Review
The Ladakh Spal-Ngam Duston Award, which honours the historical significance of Ladakh, was presented to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on August 5 by the Union Territory Administration of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC).
This year's Ladakh Spal-Ngam Duston, which takes place on the bank of the powerful Indus River, also known as the Sengé Tsangpo in Tibetan, close to Shey Village in the Leh District, honours the sixth anniversary of the Union Territory of Ladakh Declaration Day.
The 1989 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and exiled Tibetan spiritual leader was given the award in honour of his all-encompassing compassion, his efforts to advance peace and concord, and his promotion of Tibet's rich Buddhist cultural heritage. The honour also symbolises the people of Ladakh's sincere thanks for His Holiness's exceptional assistance in preserving their cultural heritage and their sense of pride in their relationship with him following his initial visit in 1966.
In his speech, the Dalai Lama said he was pleased to accept the award bestowed on him by people whose faith and trust in him are unshakable.
“Tibetans and the people of Ladakh enjoy close relations,” he said, “because we share the same Buddhist culture, and this great River Indus, the Sengé Khabab, that flows between us.” He expressed admiration for the excellent harmony and friendship that prevails among the various religion communities in Ladakh. “All these religious traditions emphasize the importance of helping others and, since we all wish to be happy, we must work to maintain harmony among us, conscious of the oneness of humanity,” he said.
He also emphasized: “I urge you to plant and take care of trees, which is one positive step we can take to address the threat of global warming that puts the whole of humanity at risk. We have a responsibility to future generations to take care of the environment while we can today.”
(Information Supplied by Tibetan Review)
By Team TRC