Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 64

PHOTOS: Dalai Lama celebrates 90th birthday, says he hopes to live beyond 130 years

Amid the sound of drums, music, and applause, the Dalai Lama stepped into Dharamsala’s main temple courtyard on Sunday, his 90th birthday. Welcomed by Tibetan cultural performers, the Tibetan spiritual leader was greeted by schoolchildren dressed in uniforms, monks, and residents, both young and old, in their finest traditional attire.The stage featured a backdrop proclaiming a “Year of

Dalai Lama succession: China warns India against interfering in Tibet-related matters

China warned India on Friday against interfering in Tibet-related matters after an Indian minister supported the Dalai Lama’s statement that his successor should be chosen by a Tibetan nonprofit group, rejecting moves by China to steer his succession. matters  “No one has the right to interfere or decide who the successor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be,” said Kiren Rijiju, India’s

Is the 'big, beautiful' India-US trade deal in trouble?

Is the "big, beautiful" India-US trade deal slipping out of reach? With just days to go before a 9 July deadline set by US President Donald Trump's administration, hopes of clinching an interim trade pact between Delhi and Washington remain alive but increasingly entangled in hard bargaining.Despite White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt hinting that the deal was imminent, and Indian

Torbjørn Færøvik: Still hopeful after all these years

Thousands of people have in recent days flocked to the small town of Dharamsala in northern India, all to honor the Dalai Lama, who turns 90 today.The celebration began earlier this week with various religious ceremonies but will conclude in a more relaxed manner, with song and dance—and surely even more devout prayers.The Dalai Lama is not as active as he once was. He has trouble walking and is

For the first time, Xi is missing a China-backed BRICS summit. Why?

A summit of leaders from the BRICS group of major emerging economies kicks off in Brazil Sunday – but without the top leader of its most powerful member. For the first time in more than one decade of rule, Chinese leader Xi Jinping – who has made BRICS a centerpiece of his push to reshape the global balance of power– will not attend the annual leaders’ gathering.Xi’s absence from the two-day

Dalal Lama at 90: «I always consider myself a simple monk»

«I always consider myself as a simple Buddhist monk. I feel that is the real me. I feel that the Dalai Lama as a temporal ruler is a man-made institution. As long as the people accept the Dalai Lama, they will accept me. But being a monk is something which belongs to me. No one can change that. Deep down inside, I always consider myself a monk, even in my dreams. So naturally I feel myself as

Statement Affirming the Continuation of the Institution of Dalai Lama

His Holiness the great 14th Dalai Lama announced the continuation of his reincarnation during the inaugural of 15th Tibetan Religious ConferenceOn 24 September 2011, at a meeting of the heads of Tibetan spiritual traditions, I made a statement to fellow Tibetans in and outside Tibet, followers of Tibetan Buddhism, and those who have a connection with Tibet and Tibetans, regarding whether the

Torbjørn Færøvik: Dalai Lama fyller år og tenner et lys for Tibet

Tusener av mennesker har de siste dagene strømmet til den lille byen Dharamsala i det nordlige India, alle for å hylle Dalai Lama, som i morgen fyller 90 år. Markeringen begynte tidligere i denne uken med ulike religiøse seremonier, men avsluttes i ledigere former, med sang og dans - og helt sikkert enda flere fromme bønner. Dalai Lama er ikke like aktiv som før. Han er dårlig til bens og støttes

FUTURE TIBET: CHINA’S STRATEGIC PLANS 2025-2049

China’s strategy for Tibet through 2049 reveals a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach aimed at assimilation of Tibet into the Chinese nation-state, a major shift from the framework of nominal autonomy which allowed for some protections in preservation of language and culture.Young Chinese and Tibetans are compelled to learn a simplified caricature of China’s history that portrays Tibet as part

BBC visits heart of Tibetan resistance as showdown looms between Dalai Lama and China

This monastery in China's south-western Sichuan province has been at the centre of Tibetan resistance for decades - the world learned the name in the late 2000s as Tibetans set themselves on fire there in defiance of Chinese rule. Nearly two decades later, the Kirti monastery still worries Beijing.A police station has been built inside the main entrance. It sits alongside a small dark room full