Nainoa Thompson among 51 to be honored by Dalai Lama

By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Staff Writer

Nainoa Thompson, was selected by the Wisdom in Action group to be honored at a ceremony today featuring the Dalai Lama (above), who is on a tour of the United States. Associated Press

"My presence represents a community not defined by geographic or racial boundaries but brought together by a powerful common vision and deeply shared values that are based on family," said Thompson, speaking by cell phone as he boarded a plane Monday for the ceremony that takes place this morning in San Jose, Calif.

The Dalai Lama, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning exiled spiritual and political leader of Tibet, is on a three-week, eight-city tour of the United States. He visited Minneapolis, Salt Lake City and Portland, and, in California, will make appearances in San Jose, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Each city has Tibetan residents settled by the 10-year-old Tibetan Resettlement Project.

The honorees to be recognized by the Dalai Lama were chosen by the nonprofit Wisdom in Action organization dedicated to increasing awareness that every act of compassion can make an important difference to the world.

Thompson joins a group representing 16 countries and a broad range of professions, including teachers, doctors, nurses, community organizers, religious leaders, environmentalists, custodians, lawyers.

Honorees include Imad Aljanaby, who works with refugees from Iraq; Gerald Gray, who founded an organization providing treatment to survivors of torture from around the world; Stefania Invernizzi, who volunteers at Mother Teresa's hospital in Katmandu, Nepal; Margrit Elliott, who travels to Asia to perform corrective medical procedures on children; and Scott Ormerod, who works with the Make-A-Wish foundation granting wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses.

Thompson said he sees himself as standing in for the thousands of people who have put in more than 3 million hours of time and effort to re-create Pacific voyaging over the past 25 years. "This is a community that feels it is making a difference," he said. "A community accepting and caring and taking responsibility for everything they love: their home, their culture, their community."

Thompson said, if it seems appropriate, he hopes to invite the Dalai Lama to come to Hawai'i to meet some of those involved in the project.