People should unite to give coordinated response to COVID-19: Dalai Lama

As world grapples with coronavirus, Dalai Lama on Sunday said people should come toger to give a "coordinated, global response" to challenges posed by crisis. Tibetan spiritual leader also ted that ecomic disruption caused by spread of virus is posing a major challenge to governments and is undermining ability of people to make a living.

"This crisis and its consequences serve as a warning that only by coming toger in a coordinated, global response, will we meet unprecedented magnitude of challenges we face. I pray we all heed ' Call to Unite',” he said in a statement released by his office here. Tibetan government-in-exile is based here.

“In this time of crisis, we face threats to our health and sadness for family and friends we have lost. Ecomic disruption is posing a major challenge to governments and undermining ability of so many people to make a living," he said.

14th Dalai Lama said people must focus on what unites m as members of one human family and reach out to each or with compassion. "As human beings, we are all same. We experience same fears, same hopes, same uncertainties, yet we are also united by a desire for happiness. Our human capacity to reason and to see things realistically and clearly give us ability to transform hardship into opportunity," he said. Coronavirus has so far killed over 2,35,000 people globally.