H. H. the Dalai Lama's 66th birthday celebrated at St James's Palace

His Holiness the Dalai Lama's 66th birthday celebrated at St James's Palace


London, 26 June 2001 (Office of Tibet, London) - On 25 June at St. James's Palace, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, heir to the British throne, gave a reception to the Tibetan Community in Britain, to celebrate the birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Over a hundred Tibetans from all over the UK and some fifteen representatives from Tibet related organisations attended. Tibetans wore their national dress in the various styles of different regions of Tibet. The gathering was entertained by a charming presentation of Tibetan music and dance by members of the community traditional arts group. The Prince spent an hour and a half, rather than the scheduled one hour chatting with as many as Tibetans as he could.
Mr. Migyur Dorjee, Representative of H.H. the Dalai Lama for Northern Europe, thanked His Royal Highness on behalf of Tibetan community and the Office of Tibet, saying "It is a great honour and privilege for the Tibetan Community in Britain to be offered a reception here, enabling us to celebrate the imminent 66th birthday of our leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama together with Your Royal Highness". He added "All Tibetans in the United Kingdom have been aware of your sympathies regarding the Tibet issue over the years, and this concern and your principled stance on this politically sensitive matter has always been very highly appreciated by all of us. As His Holiness the Dalai Lama wisely insists that the Tibet issue can only be resolved through peaceful means, whatever moral support you can give in our struggle for self-determination is very meaningful and valuable to us, and most helpful and welcome".
The Prince of Wales was offered a traditional, hand-made Tibetan Thangkha by Mr. Dorjee on behalf of the Office of Tibet and the UK Tibetan community. Making the presentation, Mr. Dorjee said "This small token of our appreciation is intended to propitiate your long life, and the success and prosperity of the United Kingdom."
In response, Prince Charles made a welcoming speech to felicitate the Dalai Lama on his birthday and to express his "intense admiration" for him as a person, which he had felt "for countless years". He especially acknowledged his sincere respect for His Holiness's principled stance of "non-retaliation against the Chinese", despite the vicious "persecution and provocation" of Tibetans carried out by the Chinese over the 50 years since they had "invaded Tibet". He regretted that there was so little that he could personally do to help the Tibetan cause, although he tried his best to help "by using what little influence he had, behind the scenes". To laughter and applause, he mentioned his recent failure "for a number of reasons" to attend a banquet in honour of the Chinese leadership, saying he had been pleasantly surprised by the number of appreciative letters he received from people as a result. He expressed his own belief that, through maintaining this stance of "non-retaliation", the time would eventually come when the Tibetan situation would "right itself" and a just outcome would ensue.
He hoped and prayed that then, all the Tibetans in exile would be able to return safely to their own country and find happiness there. He also hoped that, one day, he might also be able to visit Tibet himself - although, he added as a parting jest, by then he would probably have to be "carried there on a litter". He thanked Mr. Migyur Dorjee, the Representative of His Holiness for arranging this with their limited resources.