Republican leader John Boehner addresses the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony

Replublican leader John Boehner

Thank you for coming here as we celebrate His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet. The United States’ Congress voted our highest honour to our great leader – a great leader who has struggled his whole life for religious freedom and liberty of his people. We gather under this very symbol of democracy, this Rotunda completed during our nation’s civil war. It has come to embody the words of our founding fathers. We hope this truth to be self evident that all man are created equal. They are endowed by their creator but certain inalienable rights, among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Those words stood today as they were 231 years ago. They are beacon for any people anywhere yearning to break the chains of tyranny and live and worship in peace.

Tibet is the roof of the world. It is home to mount Everest and most of the highest peak in the world. It has a capital and a flag, has some six millions of people who live there, most of them are simple farmer and shepherds. But the people of Tibet become well acquainted with brutality and cruelty. Some of them have faced imprisonment for their religious beliefs. The Dalai Lama, who we honored today has taken on a burden of his people and has become a symbol of dignity, tolerance and a religious freedom. Tonight when the work is done, the ceremony is over, all of us will go home; members of Congress will finish their work tomorrow and they will go home and see their family. But the Dalai Lama will not go home, he is not in the home for over 50 years. So today we honor his sacrifice and his struggle and the firm commitment that we would never forget the people of Tibet.

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