WASHINGTON ( CNN ) -- The Dalai Lama , accepting a human rights prize from a U.S. foundation Tuesday , chastised the United States for not fully addressing the economic divide between its poorest and richest citizens . The Dalai Lama sits with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the awards ceremony on Tuesday . `` Huge gap , rich to poor . This is unhealthy , '' he said . `` You have to think seriously about those less-privileged people . They 're also human beings . '' The `` real greatness of America , '' he said , `` is your ancestors ' principles , '' and he urged the nation to preserve those principles . `` When I think of America , I think of the idea -- concept of freedom , liberty , equality . I think these are real human values , '' he said . The inaugural Lantos Human Rights Prize , presented to the 74-year-old Dalai Lama by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , honors his commitment to ending global injustice . The Dalai Lama called the award , from the New Hampshire-based Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice , `` a great privilege , especially because it is named after an individual I admired deeply . '' He was referring to the late Rep. Tom Lantos , D-California , whom the foundation describes as a champion of human rights during his 27 years in Congress . Lantos , who was the only Holocaust survivor in Congress , died of cancer in February 2008 . His image is on the large medal . Before presenting the award , Pelosi said people continue to be inspired by the Dalai Lama 's messages of peace and nonviolence . The medal , the California Democrat said , contains the words `` The rights of one are the rights of all . '' `` The Dalai Lama is one of the most highly honored peacemakers of our time , '' she added . Tuesday 's program focused largely on the work of Lantos , who co-founded the Congressional Human Rights Caucus about 20 years ago . The name of the caucus has been changed to the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission , and part of its mission is to `` promote , defend and advocate internationally recognized human rights norms in a nonpartisan manner , '' according to its Web site . The group is a formal entity of Congress , said Howard Berman , D-California , who was at Tuesday 's event . Also at the ceremony was Sen. John McCain , R-Arizona , who called Lantos `` an inspiration . '' `` When he died we lost one of the better angels of our national conscience , '' McCain said . According to the foundation , created by Lantos ' daughter , Katrina Lantos Swett , the Lantos Prize is meant to focus attention on the `` often unsung heroes of the human rights movement . '' The foundation 's Web site says the prize `` will be awarded on an annual basis to the individual or organization that best exemplifies the foundation 's mission , namely , to be a vital voice standing up for the values of decency , dignity , freedom and justice in every corner of the world . '' The Dalai Lama is visiting Washington this week for a conference and to meet with Undersecretary for Global Affairs Maria Otero , who has just been named as President Obama 's special coordinator on Tibet , State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said Monday . The Dalai Lama wo n't meet with Obama , who instead plans to visit with him after a presidential trip next month to China , Kelly said . The Dalai Lama and Tibet are dicey issues in Washington , since Beijing considers the Himalayan province a part of China and accuses the spiritual leader of advocating Tibetan independence . The Dalai Lama -- whose name is Tenzin Gyatso -- has repeatedly said he seeks autonomy for the region , not independence , and advocates the `` middle way '' of nonviolence . China has ruled Tibet since 1951 , a year after sending troops to `` liberate '' the region from what it said was serfdom under the Dalai Lama . The Dalai Lama 's emissaries have held sporadic talks with Chinese officials . But the talks , encouraged by the United States and other countries , have failed to break the impasse . In a 2007 trip to Washington , the Dalai Lama met with then-President George W. Bush , who awarded him the Congressional Gold Medal , the nation 's highest civilian honor . Asked whether the lack of a meeting between the Dalai Lama and Obama represents a change in U.S. policy toward China or Tibet , Kelly said , `` I would n't necessarily read ... anything into the decision beyond what it is . '' `` Our position regarding China is clear , that we want to engage China . We think China is an important global player . We also do n't try and downplay some of the concerns that we have about China ... in the areas of human rights , religious freedom , and freedom of expression . '' The Dalai Lama won a Nobel Prize for advocating peace , but he has not been allowed to return to Tibet since fleeing his homeland in 1959 . On Thursday and Friday , he is scheduled to participate in a conference called `` Educating World Citizens for the 21st Century . '' On Saturday he is to spend the morning teaching on `` The Heart of Change : Finding Wisdom in the Modern World , '' an event organized by the Conservancy for Tibetan Art and Culture . He then is slated to return to India before traveling to Japan , Australia and New Zealand .
NEW : Dalai Lama lauds Washington founding principles , decries gap between rich and poor . Pelosi calls Obama `` one of the most highly honored peacemakers of our time '' Dalai Lama is in U.S. for conference and to meet U.S. officials . He wo n't meet with President Obama , who plans to visit him this week in Asia .