Dalai Lama turns 90: concerns about succession and Tibet's future!

Dalai Lama turns 90: concerns about succession and Tibet's future!

On Sunday, the Dalai Lama celebrates his 90th birthday - an event that sparks both joy and concern around the world. Especially in Hesse, among friends of former Prime Minister Roland Koch, there is lively discussion about the future of the respected spiritual leader. Concerns about the Dalai Lama's health and the question of his successor are deeply rooted in society. star reports on the diverse emotions that boil up on the occasion of this important birthday.

Roland Koch has a special relationship with the Dalai Lama. Their first meeting took place in 1987, when Koch was still a minor politician. Since then, the Dalai Lama has visited Hesse more than fifty times. Koch repeatedly received him in Hesse and awarded him the Hessian Peace Prize in 2005. This close connection and Koch's tireless commitment to Tibetan cultural freedom are remarkable, especially in light of the fact that Berlin often "closed its doors" while China occupied Tibet in 1951 and forced the Dalai Lama to flee to India in 1959. Wiesbaden courier draws attention to this historical context.

The challenges of succession

The question of the successor to the Dalai Lama should not be underestimated. China claims the right to choose the next Dalai Lama, something Tibetans vehemently reject. Kelsang Gyaltsen, the Dalai Lama's special envoy to Europe, makes it clear that the majority of Tibetans oppose a Chinese-appointed Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama himself has also stated that his institution will continue to exist and only the Gaden Phodrang Trust, which he founded, will have the authority to find his successor. Koch emphasizes loudly star that resignation is not an option.

Concern about Tibetan identity extends to Dharamsala, where a group of Tibetan students from the children's village are rehearsing for a dance performance for the Dalai Lama's birthday. The young Tibetans in exile symbolize the next generation who want to preserve Tibetan culture and identity. However, the migration of many Tibetan families to the West has led to a decline in teachers and students in Dharamsala schools, posing additional challenges to maintaining traditions. SRF reports on these challenges and the struggle to preserve one's own culture in exile.

Looking into the future

Despite these challenges, the Tibetan community remains strongly connected under the Dalai Lama. In his speeches, the Dalai Lama calls for autonomy for Tibet within China, but sees complete independence as unrealistic. Some people in exile have already outlined the worrying prospect that without the leading figure of the Dalai Lama there would be a risk of disharmony in the exiled parliament.

Political responsibility was transferred to a democratically elected parliament of exiled Tibetans in 2011. This elected representation will soon have to send new signals, especially with the next elections scheduled for spring 2026. Until then, the community expects not only a confirmation of its traditions, but also a clear stance on the question of succession and the influence of China on Tibetan identity.