Leh, Ladakh – His Holiness the Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibet, has written to Governor Josh Green to express his deepest condolences to the people of Hawaii, and in particular the people of Maui, for the tragic loss of life and destruction of property, including heritage buildings, caused by the recent devastating forest fires in the state.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote a letter to Governor Josh Green of Hawaii on August 11, 2023, to express his condolences to the people of Hawaii, especially those suffering from the massive forest fires in their region. His Holiness offered prayers to the people of Hawaii, especially the families of the victims, at this time of great tragedy.
His Holiness begins his letter by saying, "I have had the privilege of visiting Hawaii several times and have also visited Maui. I deeply appreciate the people of Hawaii’s interest in my efforts to promote basic human values and inter-religious harmony."
His Holiness encouraged those affected people to face the tragedy by finding their inner strength and he said, "Also, in the course of my interaction with the Hawaiian people, I have been touched by their deep devotion to their traditions and heritage. Therefore, I am particularly sad to learn of the damage caused to the former capital in the wildfire. I pray that you and the people of Hawaii will find the spiritual strength to deal with this tragedy."
"While the damage to buildings may be irreparable, I understand that everything is being done by the federal, State of Hawaii and other agencies to provide necessary help and support to the people affected by this calamity," His Holiness wrote.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama concluded his letter of condolence with prayers and good wishes.
According to reports, the fires broke out on August 8, 2023 on three islands: Hawaii, Maui and Oahu, with the deadliest fires on Maui. Today, the death toll from the wildfires stands at 55 and 1,000 people are still missing on the island of Hawaii, where the fires are considered to be the deadliest in the state's history. The cause of this widespread fire is not yet known, but some reports indicate that it was caused by dry vegetables, strong winds and dry weather.
