Dharamshala, June 13 (DPnet).– On July 6, Tenzin Gyatso, the Dalai Lama, will celebrate his 90th birthday. He is the fourteenth in a six-century series of Tibetan god-popes. He has been the most politically active spiritual leader in the postwar world, together with Pope John Paul II, demonstrating that men of God can be excellent politicians without sacrificing their spirituality.
The Dalai Lama has faced China, a vicious and heartless enemy, for almost 75 years with courage, endurance, and patience. However, recent incidents have revealed that those celebrating the Dalai Lama's birthday in Tibet may face arbitrary detention, lengthy prison sentences, torture, and even being shot and killed. The International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) said that their celebration takes place under a widespread mood of terror.
International human rights law has been seriously violated by the Chinese government's ongoing efforts to discredit the Dalai Lama and stop people from expressing their respect for him in public. 'Celebrating in Fear: China's Crackdown on Dalai Lama Birthday Tributes in Tibet,' a recent ICT report, emphasizes the dangers Tibetans face in Tibet and calls on the international community, including national governments, parliaments, civil society organizations, and United Nations bodies, to demand that China stop its oppressive practices.
As part of this global initiative, the Tibetan Association of Boston is organizing a series of events to engage the local Tibetan community and the broader public in honoring His Holiness’s life and message, and in promoting compassion as a guiding principle for our shared future.
His Holiness is recognized as an emanation of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, known in Tibetan as Chenrezi. In 1989, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent struggle for the liberation of Tibet. Today, he continues as a spiritual leader for the Tibetan people and Tibetan Buddhist practitioners worldwide.
In honor of the 14th Dalai Lama's 90th birthday in 2025, the Central Tibetan Administration's Kashag has proclaimed July 2025–2026 as the Year of Compassion. This global initiative honors the extraordinary life, spiritual leadership, and lasting legacy of compassion, nonviolence, and Tibetan cultural preservation of the 14th Dalai Lama. Beginning with a unique long-life prayer ceremony in Dharamshala on July 5, 2025, the year-long observance will continue with academic events, cultural programs, interfaith discussions, and community service initiatives worldwide, all of which will reflect the Dalai Lama's visionary teachings and lifelong commitments.
The Dalai Lama has previously said that he would convene with senior Buddhist leaders to discuss the future of his reincarnation upon reaching this age. A new book he titled Voice for the Voiceless asserts that his successor will be born in the free world, free from Chinese influence and control. His Holiness expresses in this book his hopes that it will stimulate fresh thoughts and conversations today and provide a framework for the future of Tibet even after his lifetime.
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