July 3rd 2016

Palden Drepung, Mundgod, Karnataka, India, 3 July 2016 - His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote this morning to Mrs Marion Wiesel to tell her how saddened he was to learn that her husband, Elie Wiesel, had passed away in New York. He wrote:

“Among his many qualities he was a steady friend of the Tibetan people. I offer prayers on his behalf and my condolences to you and the members your family at this sad time.

“As you know, Mr Wiesel and I worked together with other Nobel Peace laureates in an effort to promote understanding between conflicting parties and to bring about a more peaceful world through dialogue and reconciliation. We will miss his compassionate, broadminded contribution to our discussions.”

His Holiness ended his letter by affirming that Mr Wiesel had lived a meaningful life. He suggested that the best tribute we can pay in his memory is to dedicate ourselves to promoting the values he held dear in a spirit of understanding, friendship and brotherhood.