Seattle: It was on Monday the Dalai Lama, who is on a five-day conference on compassion in Seattle, came out to address a crowd of 14,400 school-age children in central Seattle. Wearing a traditional cinnamon-hued robe and brown walking shoes, the Dalai Lama was welcomed by thousands of cheering Washington state school children, who chanted peace slogans and clasped hands over hearts to lively drumbeats.

Some were really desperate to hear more about the hot issue of the day – Tibet. "The issue of Tibet is worrisome. He didn't seem to talk about it much," said one of the Chinese students.

In his 25-minute address with underlying theme of compassion and non-violence, the Dalai Lama emphasized the love of mothers, the need to nurture children, forgiveness and a wide range of issues related to compassion. Addressing the students, the Dalai Lama said, "I am heart-broken about news and other difficulties in Tibet, but my sleep is not disturbed.”

On Sunday, the Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader said that “some efforts” at diplomacy were under way between his reps and the Chinese government officials who continue to portray him as the person who orchestrated protests in Tibet that have led to a crackdown and violence there. Speaking of the ongoing talks, the Dalai Lama said, “Just a few days these are going on,” and he said it was unclear what the talks might yield.

The Dalai Lama ruled out any more “concessions” to China on Tibet and threatened to resign as leader of Tibet’s exiled government if violence in Tibet went “out of control.” “If violence becomes out of control then my only option is to resign,” said the Dalai Lama at the sidelines of a five-day conference on compassion in Seattle.

Meanwhile, the Western leaders have encouraged China to resume discussions with the Dalai Lama in the wake of the unrest in Tibet, which began on March 10. The Chinese government has accused the Dalai Lama of orchestrating last month's deadly riots in the Tibetan capital Lhasa and subsequent in other ethnic Tibetan areas, as part of a bid for independence and to ruin the August Olympic Games in Beijing.