Jetsun Pema, affectionately known as the “Mother of Tibet” and the younger sister of the 14th Dalai Lama is slated to receive the esteemed Pearl S. Buck Award, as announced by The Randolph on October 12. She will be the seventh recipient of Randolph’s Pearl S. Buck Award.
This recognition comes as a tribute to her lifelong dedication to educating Tibetan children in exile, particularly through her work with the Tibetan Children’s Village (TCV), a cornerstone institution in the Tibetan exile community. The ceremony to honor Jetsun Pema with the Pearl S. Buck Award is scheduled for April 18, 2024.
The award, named after Pearl S. Buck, a Nobel Prize-winning author and alumna of Randolph College, honors women who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to the ideals and values that Buck herself championed. Pema’s unwavering dedication to the welfare and education of Tibetan children, along with her efforts to preserve Tibetan culture, aligns with Buck’s legacy of educational advocacy and support for children.
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Randolph College, the awarding body, also plans to highlight Jetsun Pema’s contributions through a new documentary detailing her efforts and impact. President Sue Ott Rowlands of Randolph College expressed immense honor in recognizing Pema for her advocacy, drawing parallels to Pearl S. Buck’s own work in education.
Jetsun Pema’s notable achievements extend beyond the upcoming award. In 2001, she became the first woman to be elected as a minister in the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, where she focused on educational policy and initiatives for the Tibetan diaspora.
Her international recognition includes awards such as the World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child from Sweden, the Woman of Courage Award, the Maria Montessori Award from Italy, a UNESCO Medal, and the Nari Shakti Puraskar award from the Indian government, acknowledging her contributions to women’s empowerment and education.
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