Dalai Lama Honoured with Gold Mercury Award for Timeless Wisdom, Lifelong Peace Advocacy
By Tenzin Chokyi
DHARAMSALA 14 March: His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been awarded the prestigious Gold Mercury Award for Peace and Visionary Governance 2025 to honour his life-long leadership in advancing a culture of peace, compassion and environmental stewardship by the Gold Mercury International, a global governance think tank based in London.
The Gold Mercury Award for Peace and Visionary Governance 2025 is awarded to the Dalai Lama, who turns 90 in June, “in recognition of his lifelong dedication to peace, non-violence, ethical leadership, wisdom-culture, and environmental stewardship,” the award citation read.
It further stated that “in an era of rising conflict, division, and environmental crisis,” the Dalai Lama’s “timeless wisdom” is “more urgent than ever.”
“Through his commitment to peace, reconciliation, interfaith dialogue, and environmental stewardship, he champions non-violence and defends the dignity and rights of all people. His advocacy for protecting our planet highlights the profound link between ecological harmony and lasting peace,” it added.
Accepting the recognition, the Dalai Lama expressed his profound gratitude and emphasised the collective duty for universal peace.
“I am deeply honoured to receive the Gold Mercury Award for Advancing a Culture of Peace, Non-violence, and Environmental Stewardship, symbolising our shared commitment to a more compassionate and sustainable world. This recognition reminds us of our collective responsibility to foster understanding, wisdom, and environmental harmony,” the Dalai Lama said, as quoted by The Week.
The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader has always advocated for the well-being of all living beings and nature alike based on the Buddhist philosophy of interdependence.
His philosophy of peace and compassion is rooted in the principle of universal responsibility, where each individual has a duty to foster harmony, not just among people and nations but also between humanity and the natural world.
The principle of universal responsibility is reflected in his four key life commitments: promoting human values, nurturing religious harmony, safeguarding Tibet’s spiritual heritage and environment, and incorporating ancient Indian wisdom into education.
