A short excerpt from the speech given by His Holiness Dalai Lama:

"President Bush, First Lady Laura Bush, Speaker Pelosi, Senator Byrd, my fellow delegates … honorable members of congress, brothers and sisters... It is a great honor for me to receive the Congressional Gold Medal (…) Much of the world is waiting to see how China's concepts of "harmonious society" and "peaceful rise" would unfold. Today's China, being a state of many nationalities, a key factor here would be how it ensures the harmony and unity of its various peoples. For this, the equality and the rights of these nationalities to maintain their distinct identities are crucial.
 I believe the time has now come to address all these global issues from the perspective of the oneness of humanity, and from a profound understanding of the deeply interconnected nature of our today's world.
  In conclusion, on behalf of six million Tibetan people, I wish to take this opportunity to recognize from the depth of my heart the support extended to us by the American people and their government. Your continued support is critical. I thank you once again for the high honor that you have bestowed on me today. Thank you."