Dalai Lama to bestow award

On April 18 local charity Children in Crossfire will host His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, at ‘The Venue’ in the Ebrington complex.

During the event the Dalai Lama will honour an inspirational young person from Londonderry or the County, by presenting them with a ‘Youth Compassion Award’. This young person will have shown outstanding attributes in practicing compassion to help transform themselves, their community or the world. The Youth Compassion Award is open to anyone between the ages of 16 and 25 living in the County who carries out distinctive acts demonstrating the power of compassion for positive change.

His Holiness has outstanding belief and passion that young people are catalysts for change and peace, and he sees them as the gateway to a better world for everyone: “Genuine compassion is based not on our own projections and expectations but rather on the rights of the other: irrespective of whether another person is a close friend or an enemy. If you want others to be happy practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”

Richard Moore, Director of Children in Crossfire, who was described by the Dalai Lama as ‘My Hero’, said: “We are looking for a young person who has really taken on a compassionate act which shows a selfless concern for others. I am sure there are lots of young people in our communities who have carried out acts which show the power of compassion for positive change. We really want to hear about these young people, and invite submissions for this award. We are excited to celebrate the achievements of young people and highlight the importance of compassion in their lives.”

Nominations can be made on behalf of yourself or someone else via www.childrenincrossfire.org. Simply say how you or your nominated person has made a difference in 500 words or less. Nomination forms are also available at Children in Crossfire, 2 St Joseph’s Avenue, Londonderry.

The closing date for submission is 12pm on March 22, and the winning recipient must be available to attend the event and participate in the associated publicity.

For further information contact Children in Crossfire, Development Education team, on 028 7126 9898.

Tickets for Culture of Compassion are available by logging on at http://www.millenniumforum.co.uk/content/dalai-lama-tibet or by contacting The Veue Box Office on 028 7126 4455.

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