The Dalai Lama, His Holiness, Tenzin Gyatso is set to receive the 2025 Gold Mercury Award for advancing a culture of peace, compassion and sustainability.
The ceremony — which is being organised by Gold Mercury International (GMI), a global governance think tank — seeks to honour the Dalai Lama’s unwavering leadership in promoting peace, non-violence, wisdom culture and environmental stewardship.
In a press statement issued by GMI, it said the award — which would be presented to the Dalai Lama at his Dharamsala home in the Indian Himalayan region later this month — aims at honouring him at a time of rising global tensions, conflict and environmental challenges, as well as celebrate his life and legacy.
The statement, signed by Nicolas De Santis Cuadra, President of GMI, said the Dalai Lama’s profound commitment to non-violence, compassion, a culture of wisdom and environmental stewardship has profoundly shaped global consciousness, and is rooted in the world’s ability to achieve inner peace, wholeheartedness and sincerity.
It said the Dalai Lama’s work and message of global cooperation also highlight the ecological significance of the Tibetan Plateau, which is widely called the world’s ‘Third Pole’ due to its vast freshwater reserves.
“As the source of Asia’s major rivers, it holds the largest store of fresh water outside the Arctic and Antarctic, underscoring the urgent need for its protection to ensure the stability of the region and the planet,” the statement said. “This is why it is so relevant today,” it added.
Rooted in Buddhist philosophy, His Holiness emphasises reverence for all living beings and the deep interdependence between humanity and nature. As a global symbol of non-violence and advocate for the rights of the Tibetan people and the protection of their ecological environment, he continues to inspire individuals, communities and leaders to foster a more just, peaceful, equitable and sustainable world.
His philosophy of peace and compassion are built upon the principle of Universal Responsibility, as reflected in his Four Main Commitments in life: promoting human values, fostering religious harmony, preserving Tibet’s spiritual heritage and environment and advancing ancient wisdom culture in education.
Founded in 1961, Gold Mercury International is a global governance think tank dedicated to advancing peace and international cooperation. Past recipients of the Gold Mercury Award include U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford for their diplomatic efforts on nuclear disarmament, President Anwar Sadat of Egypt, Prof. Robert Gallo for discovering the HIV virus as the cause of AIDS and humanitarian organisations like UNICEF and the Red Cross.
