| The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, has been living | | | | exile here. The numbers kept increasing, so after |
| outside of his native Tibet for over 40 years - and | | | | setting up the government in order to rule Tibetans |
| the exiling of the Dalai Lama has been an important | | | | in India, the Dalai Lama also went about setting up |
| issue in the cause to free Tibet. | | | | schools so that Tibetan children residing there would |
| The current Dalai Lama was born in Tibet on July 6, | | | | be able to learn the important subjects of traditional |
| 1935. He was proclaimed to be the tulku, or rebirth, | | | | language, history and culture. In 1959, the Tibetan |
| of the 13th Dalai Lama at the age of two, when he | | | | Institute of Performing Arts was established, as well |
| was residing with his farming family (the fifth of | | | | as the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies. |
| sixteen children) in the Tibetan province of Amdo. At | | | | While in exile, the 14th Dalai Lama became the first |
| the age of 15, the Dalai Lama was designated as the | | | | Dalai Lama to visit the West, and he has continued |
| Tibetan Head of State, on November 17, 1950 - just | | | | to do so - even keeping an office and temple in the |
| as the country was facing occupation by the People's | | | | United States (in New York). He has been appealing |
| Republic of China. | | | | to the United Nations on the behalf of Tibet since |
| After a failed attempt to overthrow the Communist | | | | 1959, and there have been three resolutions adopted |
| rule of China in 1959, the exiling of the Dalai Lama | | | | by the UN in regards to Tibet. These resolutions are |
| began. He had gone to India to urge the Prime | | | | aimed at making sure that China respects the human |
| Minister to pressure China into giving Tibet their own | | | | rights of Tibetans as well as seeing to further the |
| autonomous rule. India did not agree to be party to | | | | country's goals of self-rule. In the 1980's, the Dalai |
| this, fearing retribution from China, and urged the | | | | Lama also developed the Five-Point Peace Plan, in |
| Dalai Lama to continue talks with China on his own. | | | | hopes to reach the goal of Tibet's freedom. |
| These talks failed, and in 1959 the Dalai Lama moved | | | | The exile of the Dalai Lama has not been easy for |
| into India, setting up the government of Tibet in exile | | | | this religious leader, but he has worked hard |
| in Dharmasala, India. | | | | throughout his life while exiled in India. Striving for |
| Dharmasala became known as "Little Lhasa", and | | | | Tibetan independence, this leader hopes to see his |
| many other Tibetans followed the Dalai Lama into | | | | homeland free before he leaves this earth. |