Taipei: The Office of Tibet, Taiwan, in collaboration with the Tibetan Association of Taiwan, celebrated the 91st birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and marked the successful conclusion of the Year of Compassion commemorating His Holiness’s 90th birthday. The celebration, held on 5 July at the Grand Hotel in Taipei, brought together more than 500 participants, including Taiwanese devotees and members of the Tibetan lay and monastic communities.

Among the distinguished guests were former Speaker of the Taiwan Legislative Yuan Wang Jin Ping, former Director of the Judicial Yuan Hsu Tsung-Li, Minister of the Mainland Affairs Council Chiu Chui-Cheng, member of the Taiwan Parliamentary Group for Tibet Chen Chao Tzu, Chairperson of the Taiwan Human Rights Commission Wang You-ling, Grand Hotel owner Yeh Chu-Lan, former Chief Justice of the Taiwan High Court Hsu Yu-Hsiu, Deputy Director of the National Cultural and Arts Foundation Peng Jun-Heng, Deputy Chairperson of the Taiwan Democracy Foundation Cheng Tsuni, Deputy Director of the Tibetan and Mongolian Cultural Center under the Taiwan Cultural Affairs Council Han Tzu-Ying, Deputy Director of the National Development Council Huang Wan-Hsiang, former Minister of the Hakka Affairs Council Con-Ziin-Yong, Office Board member Huang Jui-Rou, Chairman of the International Association for Tibetan Buddhist Studies Ven. Tsewang Rigzin, Chairman of the Thousand Worlds Pure Land Music Association Liu Chin Chai, and Chairman of the First Association of International Tibetan Buddhist Studies in Taiwan Chung-Chih.

The programme began with long-life prayers, longevity rituals, and prayer accumulations dedicated to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. A portrait of His Holiness was then carried in procession, enthroned, and honoured with the offering of ceremonial scarves. Following a commemorative group photograph with the portrait, participants stood to sing the Tibetan national anthem. Kelsang Gyaltsen Bawa, Representative of the Office of Tibet in Taiwan, delivered the opening address.

The invited guests subsequently paid tribute to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, praising his lifelong efforts to foster human unity and highlighting his Four Principal Commitments. During the ceremony, selected guests also inaugurated the 24th volume of His Holiness’s teachings, published annually by the Office of Tibet. The celebration continued with the singing of the birthday song and a cake-cutting ceremony.

Students from the Office’s Buddhist class later shared their personal reflections, after which lamas and geshes led participants in offering ceremonial scarves to the throne of His Holiness. Following lunch, cultural performances were presented, including a rendition of The Land Surrounded by the Snowy Mountains by Tibetan children residing in Taiwan as a prayer for His Holiness’s long life. The programme concluded successfully at 3 p.m.

In addition, on the afternoon of 4 July, the Representative of Office of Tibet, Taiwan and the Three-Thousand Pure Land Chanting Group of the Taiwan Shartse Dharma Centre jointly organised a grand birthday concert at the Taipei International Conference Center to commemorate His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 91st birthday. On behalf of His Holiness, a fire truck for emergency medical rescue was donated to the Taipei Fire Department, while cardiopulmonary resuscitation equipment was presented to the Nantou City Office, with the total value of the donations exceeding 70 million New Taiwan dollars.

The report further noted that since 2015, the Ganden Shartse Society has annually presented successive editions of His Holiness’s Avalokitesvara texts during the birthday concert, with this year’s event marking the twelfth edition. The Office also reported that President of Taiwan sent a congratulatory message on the occasion of His Holiness’s 91st birthday, and on the morning of 6 July, the U.S. Ambassador visited the Office of Tibet in Taipei to extend birthday greetings.

– Report filed by Office of Tibet, Taipei