Minnesota: Following the Kashag of the Central Tibetan Administration’s announcement designating July 2025 to July 2026 as the “Year of Compassion” to commemorate the 90th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota (TAFM), under the leadership of its President Tenzin Lhamo, is also organising a series of commemorative events.

As part of these preparations on 1 July 2025, the Mayor of Edina City announced that 6 July would be observed as “The 14th Dalai Lama Day”. The purpose of this designation is to celebrate His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday and to honour His Holiness’s lifelong dedication to promoting compassion, peace, and the betterment of humanity throughout his entire life.

Tenzin Lhamo stated, “We are grateful to the local officials, including Edina Mayor James B. Hovland, City Manager Scott Neal, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Manager Thomas Brooks, for taking time to meet with us.” She added that the officials showed genuine interest in understanding the situation of the Tibetan community in Edina and appreciated their efforts to promote cultural diversity and inclusion in the city.

-Report filed by Office of Tibet, Washington DC