Dalai Lama turns 90: Hesse celebrates the peace ambassador!

Dalai Lama turns 90: Hesse celebrates the peace ambassador!

On July 6, 2025, the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, will be 90 years old - a significant anniversary for a man who made history not only for the Tibetan people, but also with his connection to Hesse. The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of the Tibetans and a public enemy of the People's Republic of China. He fled to India in 1959 when Chinese troops invaded Tibet and has lived in Dharamsala ever since. His continued calls for freedom for Tibet earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.

The Dalai Lama's influence remains particularly strong in Hesse, where he has not only gained friends but also large groups of followers over the course of his numerous visits. In July 2005, around 20,000 people, mostly young people, made a pilgrimage to Wiesbaden's Kurpark to hear his message of peace while he was being awarded the Hessian Peace Prize there. The then Prime Minister Roland Koch (CDU) played a crucial role in this relationship. He traveled to Dharamsala in 2005 with a delegation to meet the Dalai Lama, which was not supported by the German embassy. Koch describes this birthday as a turning point and emphasizes the importance of the Dalai Lama for Tibetan culture (see also evangelisch.de ).

The Coming Influence of China

With the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday, the issue of his successor is becoming more explosive again. Roland Koch warns of China's influence on the selection process of a new Dalai Lama. He emphasizes that only Tibetans should have the right to decide the succession to avoid Chinese influence. The Dalai Lama himself has also emphasized that he will establish religious rites to preserve the faith of the Tibetan people. These concerns are compounded by the repression and suppression of Tibetan culture in the People's Republic of China, which views Tibet as an “autonomous part” of its state.

Although the Dalai Lama is internationally recognized, he also faces critical voices. Critics accuse him of being too willing to compromise with China and of tolerating authoritarian structures in his exile community. In addition, some of his statements, for example about women as possible Dalai Lamas and about migrants, sometimes cause confusion (more on this on news.at ).

A life for peace and compassion

Despite all the controversy, the Dalai Lama remains a symbol of nonviolent resistance and spiritual integrity. For over 70 years he has stood for peaceful coexistence and has championed the values ​​of compassion and dialogue. These principles are also part of a global discourse. His legacy encompasses more than just religious aspects; it is a way of life and an ethos that seeks to look critically at the world while providing hope and inspiration.

As the shadows of the future loom and awareness of his physical end increases, friends of the Dalai Lama, as well as his supporters in Hesse, look back on his life's work with respect and gratitude. This week old friends met in Wiesbaden to present a book about his relations with Hesse. Further proof of the close connection that this extraordinary person has maintained with the region for decades tagesschau.de.