On this day in 1989, The Dalai Lama won the Nobel Peace Prize for his nonviolent campaign against the domination of Tibet by China. The Dalai Lama is a political and religious leader who was born in Tibet in 1935. The Dalai Lama was not born the Dalai Lama. His given name is Tenzin Gyatso. When he was three years old, Tibetan monks visited him and declared him the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama is the Tibetan Buddhism leader.

Tibet has had a Dalai Lama ruling since the 14th century. In 1911-1912, during the Chinese Revolution, Tibet formally declared independence from China. In 1950, China invaded Tibet and set in it a Communist regimen which greatly damaged the very religious people of Tibet. In 1959 the Tibetan people revolted against the hold that China had on them. One hundred thousand Tibetans had to flee from Chinese troops trying to squash the rebellion. China suppressed Tibet even more by outlawing the practice of Buddhism and destroying thousands of monasteries.

The Dalai Lama fled to India when this happened. After the ban was lifted in 1976, he traveled the world to spread awareness of the religious suppression still happening in Tibet. He was successful in gaining international attention, but the Chinese government did not give up and put stricter laws into place. The Dalai Lama, wanting peace, pleaded with China for a self-governing Tibet. This did not happen. However, a year later, the Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. China currently governs western and central Tibet.  The Dalai Lama is still travelling to promote the need for greater freedoms in Tibet.