Dharamshala: In the evening of 11 November 2025, Sikyong Penpa Tsering attended a gala event held at Vinohrady Theatre in Prague to celebrate the 90th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tibetan culture, and the unrealised 89th birthday of Václav Havel, the author and first president of the Czech Republic who shared a close personal friendship with His Holiness and a commitment to democracy, human rights, and freedom.

Sikyong was accompanied by Representative Thinlay Chukki of the Tibet Bureau, Geneva, during the event.

The event was held under the auspices of Honourable Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic; Honourable Jitka Seitlová, Deputy Speaker of the Czech Senate; and Honourable Bohuslav Svoboda, Mayor of Prague, who was also among the distinguished attendees of the event.

Organised by Češi Tibet podporují, in collaboration with the Václav Havel Library and United Islands, the event “Dalai Lama 90, Havel 89 – Tribute to His Holiness the Dalai Lama” saw the attendance of senators of the Czech Republic, as well as the 13th Kyabje Kundeling Tatsak Rinpoche, Jetsun Tenzin Chokyi Gyaltsen; Telo Tulku Rinpoche, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Tibet Culture and Information Centre in Moscow; and Ven. Thubten Wangchen, member of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile.

It featured the official launch of the book “The Dalai Lama & Havel – Warriors for Truth & Love: A Story of Exceptional Friendship as Inspiration for Today’s Troubled World” by Kateřina Bursíková Jacques and Kateřina Procházková, and a showcase of cultural performances.

Sikyong Penpa Tsering delivered the opening remarks during the gala, stating, “This event is very important for us to remember the legacies of President Havel and the messages of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the world. Both suffered under the suppression of the communist government and various struggles to free their people.” Sikyong added, “You are free today and we are still struggling.”

To elaborate on His Holiness’ key message for the world, Sikyong said, “His Holiness always says that I am one among the eight billion people in this world, with the same value that President Havel had. That is why His Holiness always says that as one individual, my responsibility is to promote human values of love, compassion, freedom, dignity, and democracy.” Sikyong further remarked that while the Czech Republic enjoys democracy as a nation, Tibetans too strive to practice it in exile under the leadership of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Before concluding, Sikyong added that His Holiness the Dalai Lama worked for many years to develop a curriculum called SEE Learning, a secular approach to cultivating social, emotional, and ethical intelligence in education.