The 14th Dalai Lama was born on July 6, 1935, in Qinghai Province, Republic of China. He is one of the world's most renowned Buddhist leaders.

Born into a farming family in northern Tibet, he was recognized at the age of four as the reincarnation of the previous Dalai Lama, Thupten Gyatso. He studied at monasteries and, at age 23, received a Buddhist doctorate, the highest degree in the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism, from Jokhang Monastery in Lhasa.

After China invaded Tibet in 1949, the following year, all political authority was delegated to His Holiness. He visited Beijing for peace talks in 1954, but was forced to flee to India following the Chinese military attack following the Tibetan uprising in 1959. He served as head of the Tibetan government-in-exile until 2011.

Since his exile, he has written numerous books, including the best-selling "The Ethics for a New Millennium." He promotes a message of peace and nonviolence, and lectures worldwide as a Tibetan Buddhist leader. In recognition of his contributions to world peace, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.