Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Dec. 4: The Tibetan government in exile officially known as the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), has invited contribution and donations to mark the 90th birthday of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. The Central Organising Committee outlined plans for year-long celebrations, declaring July 2025 to July 2026 as the “Year of Compassion.”
In a statement released on Monday, the CTA explained that the contributions would support various events and initiatives to honour the Dalai Lama’s extraordinary legacy. The celebrations will commence with a special long-life prayer ceremony based on the ‘Amitayus Extracting the Pure Ambrosia’ practice, to be held in Dharamshala on July 5, 2025, the eve of his birthday. The official celebration will take place the following day, coinciding with His Holiness turning 90, and will include commemorative events throughout the year on a global scale.
“The Central Organising Committee of Central Tibetan Administration invites all those who wish to contribute to this auspicious offering to make their donations through their respective Tibetan Settlement Offices or Offices of Tibet,” the statement read.
In honour of this milestone, CTA President Penpa Tsering earlier this year on July 6 declared that 2025 would be formally celebrated as the “Year of Compassion.” He said the year-long commemoration will spotlight the Dalai Lama’s four principal commitments. The CTA plans to hold four major events throughout the year, each focused on one of these commitments. Individual departments will organise and manage activities within their jurisdictions, while Offices of Tibet worldwide will develop national and institutional events. To facilitate participation, the CTA will launch an online portal providing access to materials such as films, documentaries, and exhibition content, and allowing organisers to upload details of their events.
The 90th birthday holds particular significance as it aligns with the Dalai Lama’s earlier expressed intentions to meet with senior Buddhist figures to discuss his reincarnation upon reaching this age. The issue of reincarnation has been a much discussed subject for Tibetans and Dalai Lama’s followers, given China’s repeated attempts to assert control over the process for political gains.
On September 29, 2022, the 16th Cabinet released an official position paper affirming its stance on the matter. The document emphasised the Cabinet’s commitment to safeguarding the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation process, while addressing concerns related to the issue reaffirming that the sole authority of the matter rests with the 89 year old Tibetan leader.
