Dalai Lama celebrates 90th birthday with prayer for peace

The Dalai Lama celebrated his 90th birthday with a prayer for peace. The spiritual leader of the Tibetans was celebrated by thousands of believers in exile in India on Sunday. Celebrities such as US actor Richard Gere also attended the ceremony at a temple in McLeod Ganj in northern India. In his birthday message, the Dalai Lama called on people to make the world a better place through "a good heart and compassion."

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Chants from monks and nuns echoed Sunday from the various temples in the Himalayas, where the Dalai Lama has lived in exile since fleeing Chinese troops in 1959. Dressed in traditional robes, the celebrant appeared with the help of two monks at the birthday ceremony in McLeod Ganj, where he gave those waiting his signature smile and, as always, acted humble: "I am just a simple Buddhist monk; I don't normally attend birthday celebrations."

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While it's important to work toward material goals, the Dalai Lama said in his birthday message, "it's crucial to focus on achieving inner peace by developing a kind heart and showing compassion, not just toward one's nearest and dearest, but toward everyone." Doing so "will contribute to making the world a better place."

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Among the many in attendance was Hollywood star Richard Gere, a longtime supporter of the Tibetans in exile. He said the Dalai Lama embodies "selflessness, perfect love, compassion, and wisdom." The ceremony in McLeod Ganj concluded with the Dalai Lama eating a piece of cake and thousands singing "Happy Birthday."

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The birthday was overshadowed by Beijing's demands regarding the Dalai Lama's succession. Although the cleric said on Saturday that he hoped to live another "30 or 40 years," his potential successor is already the subject of heated debate.

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The succession question is politically extremely charged, as China considers the current Dalai Lama an enemy of the state. The People's Republic forcibly annexed the Himalayan region of Tibet in 1950. Regarding the succession process, Beijing has stated that the next spiritual leader of the Tibetans must be approved by the central government. 

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The Dalai Lama rejected this. He announced in a video message on Wednesday that the 600-year-old institution of the spiritual leader of Tibet should continue even after his death. The authority to identify the 15th Dalai Lama rests "exclusively" with his office based in India, he emphasized. "No one else has any authority to interfere in this matter."

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The Tibetans received support from Washington over the weekend: Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that the United States was committed to "promoting respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Tibetans." Former US Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, as well as Barack Obama, also sent messages. 

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The Dalai Lama has shown what it means to "stand up for freedom and dignity," Obama declared. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the spiritual leader of the Tibetans as "an enduring symbol of love, compassion, patience, and moral discipline."

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