The conference will take place on July 2-4, gathering over 100 Buddhist leaders from around the world. Indian Dharamsala in the Western Himalayas, called “Little Lhasa”, is the center of Tibetan emigration, the place of the seat of the Tibetan government in exile and from 1960 the house of the current Dalai Lama. The event will be attended by both religious and political leaders, including the Indian Minister for Minority Kiren Rijiju and American actor Richard Gere.
One of the most important issues discussed at the conference will be tips on looking for another Dalai Lama after the death of the current leader. This process, according to Buddhist beliefs, consists in identifying the reincarnation of the soul of a deceased monk based on signs and visions. This was the case with the current 14th Dalai Lama, which was recognized as reincarnation at the age of two.
A politically complicated process
This time, however, the Tibetans will take steps to prevent China from manipulating the process. Dolma TSERING TEYKHANG, deputy chairman of the Tibetan parliament in exile, emphasized: “They try to slander him at every opportunity.” She also added that the Chinese authorities want to implement regulations that would provide them with control over the selection of the successor.
The Dalai Lama in the book “Voice for the Voiceless” published this year announced that his spiritual successor would be born outside China. He also called on his supporters to reject all attempts to impose a candidate by China for political purposes.
The process of choosing a new Dalai Lama has not only a spiritual but also political dimension. India can play a key role, which are the main place of shelter for Tibetan Buddhists, as well as the United States. The administration of President Joe Biden in 2024 signed a law that explicitly opposes Chinese interference in the election of the successor to the Dalai Lama.
The current Dalai Lama, whose full name is Jetsun Jammphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso, for years promoted the idea of peaceful dialogue with China. His pursuit of Tibet's autonomy brought him a peaceful Nobel Prize in 1989. But In 2008, he admitted that his dialogue with Beijing did not bring the intended effects.
Despite the advanced age, the Dalai Lama remains active. He recently told the Reuters agency that he could live 110 years oldand during the Monday congregation he announced: “I will devote the rest of my life to others as much as possible.”
