Dalai Lama calls Irish man his hero, honours him

Dharamsala, May 5 – A man who is known for his compassion, from whom many draw inspiration and who is looked up to as their hero has found his hero in another man. “He has an indomitable spirit, he is a real practitioner of compassion, and a living example of peace, he is my hero,” said the Dalai Lama as he introduced Richard Moore, a 48 year old Irish man who at the age of 10 was blinded by a rubber bullet fired by a British soldier.

The Tibetan leader was speaking today to a gathering at the TCV School where more than a thousand Tibetan children have gathered to listen to the man who inspires the Tibetan leader.

Richard was accompanied by Charles, the British soldier who had shot him on May 4, 1972 in Derry, Ireland, Richard’s hometown. Richard said he had no bitterness or anger against Charles whom he met in 2006 and befriended him. In 1996, Richard started “the Children in crossfire”, a charity that helps children around the world who are caught in the crossfire of poverty.

“I have learned to see life in a different way”, is how he describes his remarkable acceptance of what, for most, would be a debilitating trauma. “You can take away my sight, but you can not take away my vision which is to help impoverished children all over the world.” The story of Children in Crossfire has its roots in what began as a tragedy and ended as a triumph of the human spirit to overcome adversity. Working in Africa, Asia and South America Children in Crossfire has become an international organisation working to protect and promote the rights of some of the world’s most vulnerable children.  Read Article

By Kalsang Rinchen