On October 26 in Philadelphia, the 27th annual Liberty Medal, awarded to the Dalai Lama, will be accepted on his behalf by his English translator, Dr. Thupten Jinpa, and by Dr. Richie Davidson, founder and chair of the Mind and Life Institute. Last month, His Holiness the Dalai Lama was forced to cancel his multi-city US tour and so will not be attending the ceremony. The Dalai Lama has since reassured people that he well and has returned to India to rest.
Richard Gere will also take part in the presentation of the medal, according to a report by 6ABC News. Gere is a longtime Tibet-activist, Buddhist, and a devoted follower of the Dalai Lama.
The Liberty Medal, established in 1988, “annually honors men and women of courage and conviction who strive to secure the blessings of liberty to people around the globe.” On Friday a limited number of free tickets will be available for the event.