Berlin, Germany — Richard Gere, Hollywood star met with Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on February 9, 2017 and reportedly discussed the situation in Tibet.
Actor Gere was taking part in the 67th International Film Festival in Berlin where his latest film, "The Dinner" will premiere.
Best known as Julia Roberts' seducing partner in the 1990 romantic comedy "Pretty Woman," the AP reported, saying the Hollywood star is also a long-time advocate for human rights in Tibet and a friend of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The talk between Gere and Merkel was officially "about the current situation in Tibet," said Merkel's spokesperson Steffen Seibert.
"Chancellor Angela Merkel has met Hollywood star Richard Gere in the Chancellery. The discussion focused on the current situation in Tibet. Richard Gere is Chairman of the International Campaign for Tibet" said a U.S.-based nongovernmental advocacy group, the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT).
The meeting took place in Berlin on February 9, 2017 and they "discussed the situation in Tibet. Gere updated the Chancellor on recent developments in Tibet and spoke about ways in which the international community could help mitigate the plight of the Tibetan people," the ICT added.
As an activist, Gere has also been involved in different campaigns for AIDS awareness and the rights of tribal people around the world. He once described US involvement in the Iraq war as "a tragedy."
He also commended "the courage of the German people and German leaders" on the refugee issue on Wednesday during a meeting with Claudia Roth, one the parliament's vice-presidents, who also happens to be a personal friend.
Tibet was invaded by Communist China in 1949. Since that time, over 1.2 million out of 6 million Tibetans have been killed, over 6000 monasteries have been destroyed and acts of murder, rape, arbitrary imprisonment, torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment were inflicted on the Tibetans inside Tibet. Beijing continues to call this a "peaceful liberation".
