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