| Geneva, 10 May 2007 (By Ngawang C. Drakmargyapon, Phayul) - While news of the Belgian Government requesting the Dalai Lama not to visit the country this weekend has come as a shock to Tibetans and their supporters, in Germany, Europe's largest circulating daily, Bild-Zeitung will honour the Tibetan leader with its Peace Award on Saturday, the newspaper announced on its website. The Award gala, 'Bild Osgar 2007' scheduled to take place in the German city of Leipzig will recognize the Dalai Lama's persistent and non-violent struggle on behalf of the Tibetan people. In awarding the Dalai Lama with its Peace Award, Bild-Zeitung believes that in the time shaped by terrorism and violence, the Dalai Lama's message of non-violence, reconciliation and dialogue is unique. The newspaper's website quotes, the Dalai Lama declaring: 'I am pleased to receive this Peace Award from Bild-Zeitung.' For the past few days, the newspaper has been running a series of articles on various aspects of the Tibetan freedom struggle, including an exclusive interview with the Dalai Lama which was conducted by the paper's Editor-in-Chief Kai Kiekmann when he visited Dharamsala, the seat of the Tibetan Government in Exile. The newspaper had previously honoured personalities like Michael Gorbachov, Shimon Peres, Lech Walesa and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. On 14 May, Germany's first TV channel, ARD, will broadcast the highlights of Bild Osgar 2007. |
