Kennedy Society of Denmark
Purpose: Keeping alive John F. and Robert F. Kennedy’s inspiration
and philosophy of life, so that their good words can be translated into good deeds.

Profiles in Courage Award, 2003

The Kennedy Society of Denmark has decided to award His Holiness The Dalai Lama with John F. Kennedy’s book “Profiles in Courage” for the year 2003.
Laudatio: His Holiness The Dalai Lama has lead a courageous non-violent struggle for liberty of his people, which has been an inspiration and a help for human beings and people and for the community of all people.
Patient in tribulation His Holiness has expressed what unites all people and what enriches us in diversity. It is expressed in words and writings such as in ”A Buddhist Perspective on The Teachings of Jesus.” Also in “Ethics for the New Millennium” with the words: “What I propose is a spiritual revolution.” And: ”a spiritual revolution entails an ethical revolution.” In the clear recognition: ”When we act to fullfil our immediate desires without taking into account others’ interests, we undermine the possibility of lasting happiness.”
In the book we are advised to become as small children in the universal truth about them: ”They attach much more importance to the smile of a person in front of them” and they ”are not very interested in differences of race, nationality, religion.”
Not at least His Holiness has expressed his courage as patience: ”When we neglect others’ well-being and ignore the universal dimension of our actions… We will overlook the fundamental oneness of the human family.”

Non-violence as a means is kept in the words: ”It is true that violence can achieve certain short-term objectives, but it cannot obtain long-lasting ends.” And: “Another way in which we can move further toward our objective of global military disarmament is by gradually dismantling our arms industry.” ”Whenever I think of the arms industry and the suffering it enables, I am again reminded of my visit to the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz… built with the care and attention of talented workmen.” His Holiness has also exposed that weapons traded to good clients has as result that ”the manufacturing countries going to war with their own client. In other words, there is not such thing as a “safe” client for arms.”
His Holiness The Dalai Lama has courageously and dedicatedly advised us to the purpose: One world of free people ”leaving only a globally administered police force,” where ”the United Nations has a critical role to play.”