These medals are being struck to honor Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, in recognition of his many enduring and outstanding contributions to peace, non-violence, human rights and religious understanding.

The obverse design depicts a portrait of the Dalai Lama with the Himalayan Mountains of Tibet in the background. Three inscriptions accompany the portrait: “TENZIN GYATSO” is inscribed on the upper left just above the mountains, “14TH DALAI LAMA OF TIBET” adorns the top edge, and “ACT of CONGRESS 2006” appears to the left of the Dalai Lama’s hands.

The reverse design features a stylized lotus flower, considered to be a symbol of purity. The inscriptions include quoted remarks of the 14th Dalai Lama: “WORLD PEACE MUST DEVELOP FROM INNER PEACE. PEACE IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF VIOLENCE. PEACE IS THE MANIFESTATION OF HUMAN COMPASSION.”