Dharamshala, India — His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet will receive the Alice and Clifford Spendlove Prize in Social Justice, Diplomacy and Tolerance. Sherrie Spendlove, who established the Spendlove Prize at UC Merced said," the messages of kindness, peace, compassion and forgiveness of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama are helpful, not only in advancing sustainable social justice using non-violent methods, but also as a path to better interpersonal relations and a more meaningful life."
According to sources, the award was announced by Merced native Sherrie Spendlove, who made it possible through a generous donation in honor of her parents Alice and Clifford Spendlove, who have dedicated their professional lives to the lives of Merced area citizens, youth, and students.
“The University of California, Merced is pleased to honor His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the 15th distinguished recipient of the Alice and Clifford Spendlove Prize in Social Justice, Diplomacy and Tolerance,” the University stated. The celebration honouring the 15th prize recipient via a pre-recorded presentation will take place on Monday, September 26, 2022.
"In our increasingly politically-divided and highly confrontational world, the messages of kindness, peace, compassion, and forgiveness of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama are helpful, not only in advancing sustainable social justice using non-violent methods, but also as a path to better interpersonal relations and a more meaningful life," said Sherrie Spendlove.
Spendlove has further said, “The Dalai Lama is an internationally-acclaimed spiritual leader whose work promotes peace and is recognized as such by many other international spiritual leaders such as former President Jimmy Carter and South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, both fellow Nobel Peace Prize winners.”
Every year, the Spendlove Prize honors an individual who can serve as a role model and inspirational figure for students, faculty, and the community surrounding UC Merced. The prize has an annual value of $15,000.
"In naming the Dalai Lama the latest recipient of the Spendlove Prize, UC Merced recognizes a global spiritual leader committed to expressing the importance of happiness, compassion, warm-heartedness, self-discipline, friendship, and human solidarity amongst our diversity," said Professor Nigel Hatton, with the Department of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, and moderator of the presentation.
Other Spendlove Prize winners include BLM co-founder Alicia Garza, Nobel laureate Rigoberta Menchu, author Winona LaDuke, attorney Anita Hill, civil rights activist Viola Gregg Liuzzo, educator Jonathan Janzen, poet Peter Balakian, law professor Cruz Reynoso, former US President Jimmy Carter, professor Faye Crosby, Childhelp founders Sara O’Meara and Yvonne Fedderson, civil rights activist John Tateishi, and law professor Charles Ogletree.
