He had clarified that any future successor would be “born in the free world,” in a direct rebuke to Beijing's claim that it will control the reincarnation process
The Dalai Lama is set to deliver a message on July 2nd, just days before his 90th birthday. The message is expected to reveal the future of the Dalai Lama Institution as well as the question of succession. On Wednesday, the sikyong or head of Tibet’s government-in-exile Penpa Tsering confirmed that there would be a meeting of Tibet’s senior-most religious leaders or lamas on July 2nd, after which a religious meeting will follow.
"There will be a brief meeting of all the head lamas, which is about nine of them, meeting with His Holiness (the Dalai Lama). At the opening of the religious conference there will be a video message from His Holiness,” said Tsering. No further details about the message have been given.
However, the Dalai Lama had previously said that if the Dalai Lama Institution should continue, then the Gaden Phodrang Trust in McLeod Ganj, which is the Office of the Dalai Lama, would be responsible for recognizing the new leader. He had also clarified that any future successor would be “born in the free world,” in a direct rebuke to Beijing's claim that it will control the reincarnation process, a situation that many exiled Tibetans are fearing.
While China has condemned the Dalai Lama as a rebel and a separatist, the monk has been internationally recognized as a symbol of non-violent resistance.
The current Dalai Lama was identified in 1936 at the age of two and was hailed as the 14th reincarnation. He stepped down as the people’s political head in 2011 and passed the power to a democratic government chosen by 1,30,000 Tibetans around the world. Since fleeing Tibet in 1959 due to the Chinese takeover, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate has resided in northern India and is expected to celebrate his landmark birthday on July 6th with huge crowds.
The article is written by Rishima Mosali, intern from Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts, Pune
