CANBERRA: The Tibetan community and friends in the Australian capital city of Canberra celebrated His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 76th birthday on Saturday, 2 July. Over a hundred people attended the cultural evening which was held in the Multicultural Centre in Canberra City.

The celebrations began with traditional ceremonial sweet rice (drel-si) and tea for all guests and prayers for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s long life by the Tibetan community led by Ven. Tenzin Choephak Ringpapontsang.

This was followed by speeches by the three chief guests. Ven. Alex Bruce, a fully ordained Tibetan Buddhist monk and Associate Professor of Law at the Australian National University spoke of his admiration for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the importance of His Holiness’s teachings in his development as a Buddhist practitioner and human being. Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Australasia and South East Asia, Sonam Norbu Dagpo, spoke about the life of His Holiness and the immense contribution His Holiness continues to make for the benefit of humanity as a whole through the promotion of human values and inter-religious harmony. Finally, Australian federal Senator Gary Humphries spoke of his respect for the work of His Holiness in the promotion of peace and harmony.

Cultural performances followed a cutting of a giant birthday cake by Representative Sonam Dagpo and Senator Humphries and singing of ‘Happy Birthday’ by all. Performances included singing of Drug-chu-yangden, a traditional Tibetan birthday song for His Holiness, and the Seytri Ngasol dance by members of the Tibetan community.  Well-known Tibetan artist, Lhamo Dolma, also shared a number of evocative traditional songs from Amdo in eastern Tibet. An audience member was heard remarking that these songs felt as though they lifted him up on to the high snow-capped peaks and endless green plains of Tibet.

The event was organised by the Australian Capital Territory Tibetan Community.