Tallinn: The crises wracking the world are underpinned by human flaws including greed and secrecy, Tibet`s exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said on Wednesday in Tallinn, but insisted he remained optimistic about the future.
"Greed, speculation and secrecy are some of the main causes of our current global problems," the 76-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate told thousands of Estonians gathered in Tallinn`s Liberty Square for a public address titled "A Call for Universal Responsibility".
"I am not a businessman, but I have been speaking with many of my friends who are businessmen about the global economic crises that started two years ago," said the Dalai Lama, who recently handed over his role as the head of the Tibetan government in exile to a successor.
"It`s sad, but the gap between rich and poor keeps increasing."
But the Dalai Lama, whom Buddhists believe to be the reincarnation of a past lama, said he remains optimistic about the future because "people learn from mistakes".
"When we look at the start and the end of 20th century, we see that humankind has changed a lot," he said, noting the rise and demise of Soviet totalitarianism among others.
"We pay more attention to environmental issues, spirituality and science, have become closer and human rights are more honoured," he said, insisting also that "we have to pay more attention to children".
"People who have been beloved in childhood, have enjoyed the closeness with their mother and relatives have more inner peace in their mind," he said insisting that peace is learned at home.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Dalai Lama held an unofficial meeting with Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves.
The Dalai Lama arrived in Estonia on Tuesday for a three-day visit to the former Soviet republic which joined the EU and NATO in 2004 and the eurozone in January.
Bureau Report
