TORONTO - The Dalai Lama tackled the tough topic of world peace with a touch of humour on Friday, as he joked with an audience in a Toronto stadium that peace will not "drop from the sky."

Sitting in a large white chair and surrounded by yellow and red flowers, the Dalai Lama gave a lecture entitled "Human Approaches to World Peace" to tens of thousands of people at the Rogers Centre.

"We should create some visions (on) how to build a healthy world," said the Dalai Lama, a permanent smile etched on his face.

He called for "human warm heartedness" from the eager audience, who clutched Tibetan flags in one hand and popcorn in the other.

The Dalai Lama is on a three-day visit to the city, during which he will open the Tibetan Canadian Cultural Centre in Toronto's west end on Saturday and teach a course at the centre on Sunday.

He was full of optimism on Friday as he began speaking about how the 21st century is filled with possibilities for a new generation, telling some young people in the audience that their main responsibility is to create a "peaceful world, a compassionate world and a happy world."

The Dalai Lama also spoke about insatiable greed and the limitations of material goods, adding while science and technology may bring immediate satisfaction, they don't always bring answers.

"Through prayers, sometimes we have to wait years and years," the Dalai Lama said, as he shrugged and giggled.

He noted the disparities of wealth in many countries around the world, and said even in Canada there is a gap between the rich and the poor.

But despite his gentle tone and, at times, jovial manner, the Dalai Lama called for action to help cure the world's ailments.

"Now, in order to create a happy century, a peaceful century...we must promote the concept of dialogue," the Dalai Lama said.

"Everybody wants peace, but peace will not drop from the sky," he said with his quintessential chuckle as the audience laughed along with the Tibetan spiritual leader.

Throughout the 1 1/2 hour long talk, the Dalai Lama connected world peace with happiness and health and called for the world to have a "calm mind."

"Hatred eats at your inner system," he said, and reminded people that human beings are by their nature gentle creatures.

The Dalai Lama summed up his talk by focusing on compassion.

"Therefore, the meaning of human approach is more compassion, and genuinely consider others as brother and sister," he said.

Many who came to listen to the Dalai Lama speak said they've always been in awe of the exiled leader.

Diana Buck, 64, said she's followed the Dalai Lama in the media and on television for more than 20 years.

People are enthralled by his words, and his message, Buck said.

"That's all any enlightened being says, change yourself and change the world," said Buck.

"I consider him potentially a Jesus figure, Ghandi, all of the best people in the world," she said.

Dorjee Damdul, 42, said each glimpse of the Dalai Lama is a reminder of a home he never knew. Damdul is Tibetan, but was born and raised in India and moved to Canada seven years ago. He has never been to Tibet.

"It's sad, the whole world is changing and Chinese communists are still torturing our country," said Damdul.

He said attending the Dalai Lama event on Friday offered hope to many Tibetans.

"He's a unique, spiritual leader," said Damdul. "He always talks about non-violent things."

The Dalai Lama has lived in exile in India since staging an uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet in 1959.

Chinese officials view him as a political agitator and a separatist.

The Dalai Lama has visited Canada on many occasions.

Paul Martin became the first prime minister to meet with him in 2004, and last fall he visited Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver.