Dalai Lama Honoured with 2025 Gold Mercury Award for Peace, Compassion, and Environmental Leadership

In a momentous tribute coinciding with his 90th birthday, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, has been awarded the prestigious Gold Mercury Award for Peace and Visionary Governance 2025, in recognition of his lifelong dedication to peace, compassion, non-violence, and environmental stewardship.

The award ceremony was held in Dharamsala, the spiritual leader’s residence in the Indian Himalayas, where global dignitaries, environmental advocates, and members of the Tibetan community gathered to celebrate a legacy that has transcended borders and inspired generations.

Awarded by Gold Mercury International, a global think tank based in London, the accolade honors extraordinary individuals advancing global governance, sustainability, and ethical leadership. In presenting the award, Gold Mercury President Nicolas De Santis Cuadra praised the Dalai Lama’s “profound influence on global consciousness” and his enduring message of universal responsibility.

“Peace, compassion, and sustainability are inseparable,” said De Santis. “His Holiness has spent his life advocating for harmony—not only among people and nations but also between humanity and the natural world.”

The Dalai Lama’s life and work are guided by four key commitments: promoting human values, fostering interfaith harmony, preserving Tibetan culture and environment, and integrating ancient wisdom with modern education. His philosophy of Universal Responsibility calls upon every individual to take ethical action for the greater good—both socially and ecologically.

Rooted in Buddhist values, His Holiness has continuously emphasized the interconnectedness of all life and the need for global cooperation in addressing shared challenges such as conflict, inequality, and climate change.

A key highlight of the award was His Holiness’s steadfast advocacy for environmental protection, particularly the preservation of the Tibetan Plateau, known as the world’s “Third Pole” due to its vast freshwater reserves. As the source of Asia’s major rivers, the plateau plays a crucial role in global climate regulation and water security for over a billion people.

“Protecting the Tibetan environment is not just a regional concern—it’s a planetary necessity,” the Dalai Lama has often stated.

The 2025 Gold Mercury Award comes at a critical time for global peace and sustainability. As geopolitical tensions and environmental degradation intensify, the Dalai Lama’s call for compassion, dialogue, and collective action resonates more urgently than ever.

In honoring His Holiness, Gold Mercury International joins a distinguished list of past recipients including world leaders, scientists, artists, and human rights defenders. The organization’s award journey video, tracing the award’s path from Florence to Dharamsala via London and Delhi, symbolized the global scope of the Dalai Lama’s influence.

“His Holiness’s unwavering commitment to non-violence, dignity, and ethical leadership continues to illuminate the path toward a more just and sustainable world,” De Santis said.

Established in 1961, the Gold Mercury Award is one of the world’s oldest and most esteemed honors in visionary governance and sustainable development. It recognizes individuals and organizations whose leadership shapes the future of humanity and the planet.

With this award, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama is acknowledged not only as a spiritual leader but also as a global moral compass—whose life’s work continues to empower peacebuilders and changemakers around the world.