By DPA
Washington : US President George W. Bush will attend a Washington medal ceremony next week to honour the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the White House said.
The US Congress is due to award the 72-year-old Buddhist leader its Gold Medal, the highest US civilian honour, on Oct 17 at the Capitol building, the legislature’s seat.
Other recent recipients include the late Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, the late Pope John Paul II and former British prime minister Tony Blair.
A White House spokeswoman said Bush plans to attend the event with the Dalai Lama. There was no word on whether the Dalai Lama would visit the White House.
The Tibetan leader has met Bush three times at the White House, most recently in November 2005.