Shewatsel, Leh, Ladakh, India - On learning that Nobel Laureate, Lord David Trimble had passed away His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote to his widow, Lady Trimble to express his sadness.
“I pray for him,” he wrote, “and offer my heartfelt condolences to you and members of your family at this sad time.
“Your husband displayed vision, courage and a realistic approach in his efforts to find a mutually beneficial agreement that would bring peace to Northern Ireland. As someone who firmly believes in pursuing dialogue and diplomacy to resolve differences among opposing parties, I consider the role he played in bringing about the Good Friday Agreement to have been an example of peace-making for our times.
“I had the good fortune to meet your husband several times in Northern Ireland and elsewhere and was able to tell him myself of my admiration for the contribution he had made to bringing peace to Northern Ireland.”
His Holiness’s letter ended, “It will be a fitting tribute to Lord Trimble if we can continue to work to resolve differences in a spirit of understanding, accommodation and respect, keeping in mind that we are all part of the oneness of humanity.”