ASIA / PACIFIC
Page 20 n THE ASIAN REPORTER
August 2, 2021
Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama celebrates 86th birthday
DHARMSALA, India (AP) — The
Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama
celebrated his 86th birthday in July,
thanking his supporters and expressing
his appreciation to India, where he has
lived since he fled his homeland in 1959.
“I want to express my deep appreciation
of all my friends who have really shown me
love, respect, and trust,” the Dalai Lama
said in a video message.
He reiterated his mission to serve
humanity and urged supporters to be
compassionate.
“Since I became a refugee and now
settled in India, I have taken full
advantage of India’s freedom and religious
harmony,” he said.
He added that he had great respect for
India’s secular values such as “honesty,
karuna (compassion), and ahimsa (non-
violence).”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
wished the Dalai Lama well on his
birthday on Twitter and said he also spoke
to him by phone.
This is the first time Modi has publicly
confirmed speaking with the Dalai Lama
since becoming prime minister in 2014.
The acknowledgment appears significant
amid deteriorating ties between India and
MUTED CELEBRATION. Exile Tibetan govern-
ment officials watch a message from their spiritual
leader, the Dalai Lama, on a screen during a cere-
mony last month to mark the 86th birthday of the
Tibetan leader, in Dharmsala, India. Due to the
coronavirus pandemic, celebrations were muted and
held behind closed doors. (AP Photo/Ashwini Bhatia)
China, which doesn’t recognize the
Tibetan government-in-exile and accuses
the Dalai Lama of seeking to separate
Tibet from China.
A military conflict last year between
India and China along their disputed
high-altitude border dramatically altered
the already fraught relationship between
the nuclear-armed neighbors.
The Dalai Lama has made the hillside
town of Dharmsala his headquarters since
COVID-19 VACCINE
INFORMATION
To learn more about COVID-19
vaccinations, reach out to
https://vaccinefinder.org
Oregon
Call 211 or 1-866-698-6155
Visit covidvaccine.oregon.gov
Washington
Call (360) 236-4501 or 1-800-525-0127
Visit doh.wa.gov/coronavirus
fleeing Tibet after a failed uprising against
Chinese rule. India considers Tibet to be
part of China, though it hosts Tibetan
exiles.
The Dalai Lama denies being a
separatist and says he merely advocates
substantial autonomy and protection of
Tibet’s native Buddhist culture.
A small celebration attended mostly by
government officials was held at the
Central Tibetan Administration. The
SPiLt ink Gallery
Acrylic
Colour Pencil
Graphite
Oil
Pen & Ink
Watercolour
Dalai Lama’s video message was played on
a screen and followed by a cultural
performance by the Tibetan Institute of
Performing Arts.
Usually, the spiritual leader’s birthday
is a fairly elaborate affair in the town, open
to members of the public who flock to the
Tsuglakhang Temple where performances
are held. Sometimes, the Dalai Lama also
made an appearance.
This year, due to the coronavirus
pandemic, the celebrations were muted
and behind closed doors. But a banner
marking his birthday hung in the town
square and Tibetan monks distributed
sweets and juice to passersby outside the
closed temple.
“Many people really show they love me.
And many people actually love my smile,”
the Dalai Lama said with a smile at the
start of the video. “In spite of my old age,
my face is quite handsome,” he said with a
laugh.
The Asian Reporter is published on
the first Monday each month.
News page advertising deadlines for our next two issues are:
September 6, 2021 edition:
Space reservations due: Wednesday, Sept. 1 at 1:00pm
Artwork due: Thursday, Sept. 2 at 1:00pm
October 4, 2021 edition:
Pets w Holidays w Special Occasions w Just for Fun
www.spiltinkgallery.com
(503) 442-6427
Space reservations due: Wednesday, Sept. 29 at 1:00pm
Artwork due: Thursday, Sept. 30 at 1:00pm
-p
e
r
n
i
s
,
o
e
n
m
i
s
t
c
-
h
l
o
l
o
u
l
F
n
g
i
m
b
a
o
c
c
k.
is
ŶƟĐŝƉĂƟŽŶŝƐďƵŝůĚŝŶŐĨŽƌƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐƚŽƌĞƚƵƌŶƚŽĨƵůůͲƟŵĞĂŶĚŝŶͲƉĞƌƐŽŶ
ƐĐŚŽŽůƚŚŝƐĨĂůů͘&ŽƌŬŝĚƐĂŶĚĨĂŵŝůŝĞƐ͕ƚŚŝƐĐĂŶďĞĂŵŝdžŽĨĂŶdžŝĞƚLJ͕
ĞdžĐŝƚĞŵĞŶƚĂŶĚŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƚLJ͘>ŽĐĂůƐĐŚŽŽůĚŝƐƚƌŝĐƚƐĂƌĞƵƉĚĂƟŶŐƚŚĞŝƌ
ŚĞĂůƚŚĂŶĚƐĂĨĞƚLJƉůĂŶƐƚŽƐĞƌǀĞƚŚĞŶĞĞĚƐŽĨƚŚĞŝƌƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐĂŶĚĨĂŵŝůŝĞƐ͘
>ĞĂƌŶŚŽǁLJŽƵƌĚŝƐƚƌŝĐƚŝƐƉƌĞƉĂƌŝŶŐĂƚ Oregon.gov/ readyschools.