In response to the death of Chinese Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo , who died of organ failure while in government custody , the Dalai Lama issued the following statement on 14 July 2017 , " I am deeply saddened to learn that fellow Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo has passed away while undergoing a lengthy prison sentence ... It is my belief that Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo 's unceasing efforts in the cause of freedom will bear fruit before long . " The Dalai Lama advocates compassion for animals and frequently urges people to try vegetarianism or at least reduce their consumption of meat . In Tibet , where historically meat was the most common food , most monks historically have been omnivores , including the Dalai Lamas . The Fourteenth Dalai Lama was raised in a meat-eating family but converted to vegetarianism after arriving in India , where vegetables are much more easily available . He spent many years as a vegetarian , but after contracting hepatitis in India and suffering from weakness , his doctors ordered him to eat meat on alternating days , which he did for several years . He tried switching back to a vegetarian diet , but once again returned to limited consumption of meat . This attracted public attention when , during a visit to the White House , he was offered a vegetarian menu but declined by replying , as he is known to do on occasion when dining in the company of non-vegetarians , " I 'm a Tibetan monk , not a vegetarian " . His own home kitchen , however , is completely vegetarian
Nobel Peace Prize
2010 Nobel Peace Prize
14th Dalai Lama