| The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, has been | | | | increasing, so after setting up the |
| living outside of his native Tibet for over | | | | government in order to rule Tibetans in |
| 40 years - and the exiling of the Dalai Lama | | | | India, the Dalai Lama also went about setting |
| has been an important issue in the cause to | | | | up schools so that Tibetan children residing |
| free Tibet. | | | | there would be able to learn the important |
| | | | subjects of traditional language, history and |
| The current Dalai Lama was born in Tibet on | | | | culture. In 1959, the Tibetan Institute of |
| July 6, 1935. He was proclaimed to be the | | | | Performing Arts was established, as well as |
| tulku, or rebirth, of the 13th Dalai Lama at | | | | the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan |
| the age of two, when he was residing with his | | | | Studies. |
| farming family (the fifth of sixteen | | | | |
| children) in the Tibetan province of Amdo. At | | | | While in exile, the 14th Dalai Lama became |
| the age of 15, the Dalai Lama was designated | | | | the first Dalai Lama to visit the West, and |
| as the Tibetan Head of State, on November 17, | | | | he has continued to do so - even keeping an |
| 1950 - just as the country was facing | | | | office and temple in the United States (in |
| occupation by the People's Republic of China. | | | | New York). He has been appealing to the |
| | | | United Nations on the behalf of Tibet since |
| After a failed attempt to overthrow the | | | | 1959, and there have been three resolutions |
| Communist rule of China in 1959, the exiling | | | | adopted by the UN in regards to Tibet. These |
| of the Dalai Lama began. He had gone to India | | | | resolutions are aimed at making sure that |
| to urge the Prime Minister to pressure China | | | | China respects the human rights of Tibetans |
| into giving Tibet their own autonomous rule. | | | | as well as seeing to further the country's |
| India did not agree to be party to this, | | | | goals of self-rule. In the 1980's, the Dalai |
| fearing retribution from China, and urged the | | | | Lama also developed the Five-Point Peace |
| Dalai Lama to continue talks with China on | | | | Plan, in hopes to reach the goal of Tibet's |
| his own. These talks failed, and in 1959 the | | | | freedom. |
| Dalai Lama moved into India, setting up the | | | | |
| government of Tibet in exile in Dharmasala, | | | | The exile of the Dalai Lama has not been easy |
| India. | | | | for this religious leader, but he has worked |
| | | | hard throughout his life while exiled in |
| Dharmasala became known as "Little Lhasa", | | | | India. Striving for Tibetan independence, |
| and many other Tibetans followed the Dalai | | | | this leader hopes to see his homeland free |
| Lama into exile here. The numbers kept | | | | before he leaves this earth. |