World Tibet Network News Wednesday, February 04, 1998

Aligarh, (INDIA) PTI - 2nd February: Exiled Buddhist spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has urged the Indian Muslims to play a key role in "bringing the followers of Islam and people of other religions closer".

"Indian Muslims enjoy a distinct position in the Islamic world as they are fully exposed to the influence of almost all leading religions of the world," the Tibetan spiritual leader said while addressing a gathering at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) women's college here on Sunday [1st February].

Indian Muslims could, hence, "act as a bridge of understanding between Islam and the rest of the world" .

On his first ever visit to the institution, the Dalai Lama said: "AMU carries tremendous influence throughout the Muslim world and it can play a positive role in fostering understanding between the followers of various religions.

"As the twentieth century draws to a close, it is time to take stock of where humanity stands today. It has truly been a century of knowledge, but even more, it will be remembered as a century of violence, because of the weapons of mass destruction which have been introduced," he told another gathering at AMU Students' Union office.

Striking a note of hope, the Tibetan leader declared that the twenty-first century was going to be a century of harmony and peace, " because the world has become small and people are becoming aware that interests of the people of the world have become common" .