Canberra: On 30 July 2025, The Office of Tibet in Canberra and the Australia Tibet Council jointly hosted a dinner reception to celebrate the 90th birthday of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, marking it as part of the “Year of Compassion” in Australia’s capital.

The Deputy Speaker, Sharon Claydon of the House of Representatives, attended as the chief guest. In her remarks, she fondly recalled her 2023 visit to Dharamshala and her meeting with His Holiness and the Central Tibetan Administration’ (CTA) leadership. She lauded His Holiness’s lifelong commitment to non-violence and universal peace, which she claimed are very relevant in today’s troubled times.

The other distinguished attendees included MP Dr Daniel Mulino, Minister of Financial Services and Assistant Treasurer; Senator Dean Smith, Assistant Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Co-chair of the Australian Parliamentary Friends of Tibet; Senator Barbara Pocock, Co-chair of the Australian Parliamentary Friends of Tibet; MP David Smith ; MP Dr. Sophie Scamps ; ACT Legislator Peter Cain; and former senator Janet Rice.

Senior diplomats from embassies,  parliamentary staff, the former representatives of the Tibetan Information Office, and local Tibetan community leaders were also present in the event.

The Co-Chairs of the Australian Parliamentary Friends of Tibet, Senator Dean Smith and Senator Barbara Pocock, expressed their concern about the continuous human right violations in Tibet, particularly the Chinese government’s policy of boarding schools, which is aimed at erasing Tibetan cultural identity through political indoctrination.They urged the Australian government to support the Tibetan people in selecting the reincarnation of the future Dalai Lama according to Tibetan Buddhist tradition without external interference.

Representative Karma Singey highlighted the global significance of His Holiness’s 90th birthday, emphasising that the Year of Compassion is not only a time of celebration but also an opportunity to practice and spread the kind and compassionate messages of His Holiness, as these are the basis for both individual happiness and world peace. 

The evening featured a special musical Tenzin Choegyal, a renowned Tibetan Artist and a Grammy nominee who performed his latest release, “Snowy Mountains – GangRi”, in honour of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. The Cultural performances by the Canberra Tibetan Community also added colour to event’s vibrant atmosphere.

-Report filed by Tibet Information Office,Canberra