The Dalai Lama addressed 12,000 people about the need for compassion as he kicked off the 2009 Vancouver Peace Summit on Sunday.

The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader accepted the Fetzer Prize for love and forgiveness on stage - along with Arch-bishop Desmond Tutu via video - at the UBC Chan Centre before telling the captivated audience about the need to foster peace from the inside out.

"We really need to embrace the concept of the whole world as 'We,'" he said.

It's not a new message, but the Dalai Lama's words have a resonance like no other.

"All of these speakers have the same message, but he is able to say it with so few words," Lynn Demers said afterwards. "I love the simplicity of his message."

Demers' friend Rodick Shoolbraid said the Dalai Lama's presence helps connect people with similar thoughts around the world.

"There's actually a lot of people on a daily, local level that stress the same things," he said. "But having him here raises the awareness and importance of compassion."

The one-hour panel discussion was the first event on the Vancouver Peace Summit calendar this week, which also includes a dialogue with the Dalai Lama at the Orpheum Theatre Tuesday.

Matt Kieltyka reports for Vancouver 24 hours.