The dalai lama let us have a prayer. R silent ok. The dalai lama thank you. Monk is quite skeptical about the effect of prayer. Actionange comes through. Serious action, continuously, despite difficulties, butts of of obstacles. Ots on top of that, some prayer is okay. No harm. To just sit in prayer. I am quite skeptical. Skeptical. Thank you. Thank you, your holiness. Thank you for joining us this morning. We are gathered with a heavy heart after this weekends event, but with conviction that a World Without violent conflict is more important than ever. My name is nancy. I am the president of the u. S. Institute of peace. Usip was founded by congress 30 years ago with a vision of a World Without conflict and dedicated to the proposition that peace is practical and absolutely essential for global security. To have beenonored able to work in partnership with your holiness, with bringing a youth leaders from 13 countries affected by conflict to a dialogue with your holiness. Wayslk about what are the we can maintain and build and ,ind inner peace and compassion to keep that conviction of peace building going even as you live and work in a troubled world . The events in orlando have underscored how important that is globally. Thank you for joining us this morning. That is globally. Thank you for joining us this morning, and what id like to do before asking you to make a few comments is show a quick video, if i might, that gives everybody a sense of those who participated in the dialogue in darm saleh and the importance of that kind of journey to find the inner peace that enables one to go forward. So if we could show the video. So i got nominated and i read the word dalai malama and i was like, this is a junk mail. Lets just ignore it. This program is different from any ive ever seen, an extraordinary moment where 28 youth leaders from conflict zones around the world came together to be mentored by dalai lama in how change happens. I want to learn how to forgive and i want to learn how to love. So i was shaking for about 15 minutes or more and when his holiness walked in, it was just a great moment. When his holiness entered the hall, i just feel like a dream. Be optimistic so no matter how difficult it is, we should be more optimistic. If you were a bunch of young people who had experienced deep tragedy and lived in regions of conflict and they chose to use that energy, that conflict, that fear for their own life and turn it into something incredibly constructive. In tunisia were facing an identity process. Actually, violence is signs of weakness. Forgiveness is signs of strength. How can we utilize this good friendship or trust between people and religious leaders like you to bring peace between the tribes in my country . We should be active in the building of society. I feel empowered that the dalai lama was really interested in you. What he said was how encouraged he was by meeting with these young people. Not only his holiness but also the participants in this program they all inspire me. They are peace will building. After meeting his holiness, this give a kind of energy that its as we should build our country. Its as we should make the changes from inside. What you have here is a group of determined, passionate, committed, actionoriented leaders who are building peace who have been deeply inspired by our two days. I really got encouragement so very, very encouraging. Now i feel like my soul and my spirit is enriched. He built so much confidence in us that he is our voice, our actions can make a difference. He believe in our abilities to make changes. Now that i met the dalai lama, i am going to share the compassion he has shared with us, the love he has shared with us in my community. [ applause ] your holiness, that was a powerful and transform atif dialogue that we shared with you in darm saleh with some remarkable leaders from many difficult khriz. Were joined here today with two of our youth leaders, victoria and sakana who you greeted and wel eb e Michael Gerson with us who was also part of the trip from the washington post. You know, weve talked a lot about your vision of the 21st century as being the century that is free from violent conflict. This is the usip vision and mission as well. It is how to find the tools, how to reach the people who will be the builders of peace for this next century. And we are very honored to have you here today with us to continue that dialogue and to continue that search. And well ask our youth leaders and michael to make a few comments, but wed like to first ask you to share some reflections with us. Over the years i have serious discussion with scientist and also educationist. I want to share as one point, on one occasion some scientists mentioned according to experiment very, very young infant child only 5, 6 months old, language not yet develop. Tend to such infant child showing some one to Young Children helping each other. Another cartoon two children with negative attitudes. So their response, the first cartoon, the infant child, i saw smiling, showing cheerfulness. The second cartoon show the same child with negative resentment like that. So then a day so these scientists concluded basic human nature is more compassionate. When i heard that, i really feel now theres real hope and also only experience when you have trouble. I think except those infant child. Everyone have so many problems. So we the experience of problem is solved. I call experiences due to that problem, some kind of fear, some kind of anger common experience. However, makes big differences the mental attitude like in the system. If your immune system strong then virus dont disturb you. Immune system weak, then small virus create a lot of trouble. Similar similarly, meantal attitude is healthy, then these problem, see, adver some disturbances ing anger, fear. But will not disturb the deeper level of your mind. So that very helpful to maintain your physical health. So just i think i also mentioned just yesterday i saw my friend and then my friend expressed, you see, judging your face it looks still early 60yearold and he asked me, whats your secret . And i just told him thats my secret. I dont share. Then i told, my life, you know, at age 16 i lost my own freedom age 24 lost my own country. And a lot of sadness because of the situation a lot of problems. After we become refugee also you see a lot of work to preservation of our own culture, language. So many problems inside tibet also a lot of problem. And inside tibet very much sort of hoping to me, a lot of hope on me. So a lot of problem. But my mental level quite peacef peaceful. May i say so the Peaceful Mind or peace even side some problems, not i think because of me. That level of not Something Like not out of darkness. My mind quite sharp. Many my friend, many scientist they appreciate sharpness of my mind. So you see but still i can keep deeper level peace no matter this difficulties. So i told him thats my secret. Peace of mind makes differences. So i go opn my own experience. Same human being i never consider im Something Special person. We are same. Same human being mentally emotionally physically we are same. So someone who can carry that kind of practice then why not kindle that. So that i think confirmed our meeting in darm salah. Some individual story really terrible, really desperate, such desperate moment you develop some sort of determination to do something for peace. Wonderful. So that goes to show we all have the same potential like that. So therefore peace of mind is very, very useful for individual interest. That peace of min more compassion of mind. Sometimes people say, people feel compassion is something good for other but not necessarily oneself. Its totally wrong. The practice of compassion first of all benefit to oneself i often mention my story. One time in germany your neighbor, you italy. I think italy more sort of like that. German hardworking, serious. Anyway, one meeting one late evening quite dark. And i passing through road as my own nature or habit when i met some people on the street. I just usually smiling. So passing through the street one young lady coming down. As usual, i smile, show human brothers, sisters spirit. Then that lady seems to develop suspicion. Why . Why this person strange with the dress or strange hat and smiling . She may have felt oh, something so she sort of looks something uncomfortable. So that shows my compassionate attitude, myself happy, feel easy. But the other person that lady get more suspicion. Learn that. So the practice of compassion, first the benefit go to yourself. And constantly go that way you really get peace of mind. And then no matter how troublesome your life but still you can keep peace of mind. That brings more healthier and also obviously more peace of mind, more compassion of mind, you get a lot of friends. We need friends. So therefore you see compassionate mind is really very, very helpful for health also and creates friendship. Friendship entirely based on trust. Trust based on if you show genuine concern, then trust come. Your holiness, i would like to so i really admire these people, at least you see you really showing interest. So now with your interest you should implement as i mentioned earlier. You should carry action. Personally your own server, then you see one individual you see share with your own circle ten people. Then each carry effort. Then 100 people. Then 1,000 people. Then 10,000 people. Thats the way to change humanity. Then to 7 billion people. Yes. I would like to invite Michael Gerson to come up and say a few comments and i also want to note for those who are watching us online or using twitter that its hash tag dalai la llama usip. Were streaming over social media right now. Michael gerson. Your holiness, thank you. Almost exactly 50 years ago one of my heroes Robert Kennedy went to the university of capetown and said, each time a man stands up for an idea or acts to improve the lot of others and strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope and crossing each other from a million Different Centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistan resistance. It was an extraordinary experience for me to spend time with 28 centers of energy and daring. As a writer, i found their individual different stories from south sudan and nigeria and afghanistan fascinating. But what they hold in common is most impressive. Each in one way or another has witnessed horrors, all have refused to be each bystanders or combatants. Instead, they have chosen to be instruments of healing, asserting a common humanity in the midst of conflict. During our time, we saw them develop a sense of community. Those who stand for principle at least at the beginning can be alone. They can work for many years in relative isolation, and it was moving to watch these men and women find the shelter of one another. But it was also inspiring to watch them be inspired by someone who has known their struggle. It they are ripples of hope, his holiness is a boulder thrown into a pond. I dont think anyone will forget the generosity of his attention, the depth of his insight, his good humor, and his tireless focus. The participants were interested in the techniques of movement building, but the dalai lamas primary message was spiritual. How the practice of tolerance and compassion requires a healthy mind and body, how a genuine smile, not what you call a diplomatic smile, can express respect and build trust. It is hard to describe what happened before us, but for these young people it was a graduate level seminar in loving kindness, a master class in being fully human. Im involved in a lot of think tanks, sponsoring a lot of conferences, and they are fine in their own way. But this work by usip was what really influence locks like. I saw the passing of wisdom and passion to the next generation of leaders, leaders of movements, even future leaders of their own countries. They came away changed, and i was privileged to witness it. Thank you. Thank you, michael. [ applause ] and we have with us one of the youth leaders, two, but first sakana who is here from a morocco who joined us in darm saleh. Hello, his holiness. Its on. Its on. Oh, yes. Im from casablanca ma iraq co. I work at a Community Center that was created in 2007 in the largest slum morocco. In 2003 and 2007 the city of casablanca was shaken by horrific terrorist attacks and all the terrorists came from our center was created in 2007 to give the opportunity to atrisk kits and vulnerable youth to become good citizens through art, culture, education, and various trainings in peace building and conflict resolution. And then came my experience in darm saleh to deepen our work. Now ladies and gentlemen, let me share with you what i learned from my experience in darm saleh. My experience in darm saleh helped me look deeper in my soul, sparked new things that didnt exist before, and fed the flames that were burning already. By sharing my story with his holiness the dalai lama and youth peace builders, i learned how to share things that terrify me so i can grow, experience, and flourish. I learned to be more honest with myself to see the weakest, most fragile parts of myself and that only acknowledge in them but owning them. I learned that we dont have to be afraid to peel back our layers and open ourselves to love because we are all the same, members of the same human family as his holiness said. I learned that love, peace, gratitude and compassion are not ready made. Its not something we do. Its something we are. Its at the core of our existence. We are love. We are peace. This is why we are here, and its what we all need and want. Its what brings us richness, meaning, and fulfillment to our lives. I learned that courage is only real when its shared and now i know that its our duty as peace builders, young peace builders and citizens of the world, to build a generation of people who choose peace, who choose peace every day and who choose peace again and again. Thank you. [ applause ] wonderful. Wonderful. Thank you, sakany. Id like to invite victoria who is joining us from nigeria who was also with us in darm saleh. His holiness, my name is victoria and i come from nigeria. In november 2013 i started an organization to help tutoring it for my community realize their true selfidentity and work for peace. This was deeply inspired by my from eye Violent Community and living in the community as a vulnerable girl child. So our project is to teach children on selfidentity, selfregulation, to help them realize that even though they come from violent communities they have the choice to choose to work for peace and also that make the choice to change the situation of things around them. Our time in darm salah was indeed an unforgettable experience for me meeting his holiness and learning from my fellow youth participants. His holiness taught us that we the youth are the heart of the community and we have a deep role to play to ensure that the world becomes peaceful and sustainable. It was deeply inspiring hearing the stories of youth from afghanistan, iraq, nigeria, kenya, tunisia, and many more. This shows that we can continue to work for peace as young people and we the youth have a role to play to encourage our peers to walk for peaceqr n and put an end to violent extremism. Peace is very possible. Peace is essential. Like the world of and i see it as a joint effort if we all come together to change the narrative. It takes us starting from our communities, starting in our families, starting from our workplace, using religion to promote peace. Thank you very much. [ applause ] thank you. Wonderful. Thank you, victoria, sakana and michael. These were the voices that gave us so much hope in darm saleh. And we would like to continue the conversation here today. I have a number of questions from people who would like to ask you and i want to once again give you hash tag dalai lama usip. But the first question is from madeline from the state department and marie from action aid, had the same question, which is, as a selfproclaimed feminist, what message do you have for girls growing up in environments of violence and extremism . And what role do you see girls and women playing encountering violent extremism . Since many years i devote to you and accordingly i express many i think perhaps so the many human population quite small and then some communist ideology they say religion is communi communism. No private ownership. Everything they say to use by the group of small group. Small group. So at that time no leadership. Then gradually population increased and the farming system developed. Then the poverty ownership so then some disputes or some crimes also happen. So then leadership come. At that time no education, role of education. So in order to become fiscal standard, that is the start, the made minutes. Even some religious tradition also some kind of effect from that kind of society, that kind of concept. Then education come. Education brings small equal so some very, very powerful sort of leadership to happen. Now existing education not to educate. We must make more effort or warm heartedness so therefore buy logically female have more sensitive about others people. That comes from scientist to the investigation to search they found. So therefore at a time we need special effort for promotion of compassion, love, female, more active role. So thats why you see my friend just so therefore sometimes i feel about 200 different nations the majority of the leader of these nations female. Maybe less trouble. Less violence. Of course some ladies, females, are exceptional. So equally some ladies, also some very compassionate. So average i think because of the biological factor so therefore thats my view, neal should take more active, more effort to promote human love. Human compassion. So mainly as i was mentioning, now within the present circumstances environment very difficu difficult, like this and at least in some cases in the name of tradition. And many innocent people dying. Terrible. Unthinkable. Then when we saw the situation, then each individual can make different so we have to take and we take seriously this sad event. These also some line of recall according to law of cause alty. These are result or syndrome of certain costs. So fundamentals of costs here, hate, too much selfcentered attitude, lack of sense of oneness of human Brother Sisters human being. Actual actually, human brothers sisters. So we really need sense of oneness or human being. If we have that kind of vision, we are then the also now each kocontinent their future depends open other. Thats reality. More or less selfsufficient and independence. Now heavily independent in modern economy. Then also environment issue. So now Global Warming also create more and more major disaster. So now time come. Several human being have to act. United. Collectively. Otherwise, distant for a cen