His Holiness returns after successfully concluding visit to France
Monday, 25 August 2008, 2:03 p.m.
 Holiness the Dalai Lama (2nd R), with French Foreign Affairs Minister Bernard Kouchner (3rd R), France’s first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy (1st R) and French Human Rights minister Rama Yade during the inauguration of the Buddhist Lerab Ling temple in Roqueredonde, southern France, 22 August 2008. Photo courtesy: AFP |
Dharamshala: Scores of people,
including Tibetans and other devotees carrying incense, scarves and
flowers, welcomed His Holiness the Dalai Lama on his return to
Dharamshala on Sunday, after successfully concluding a twelve-day visit
to France from 11-23 August.
On 20 August, before concluding the five-day teaching at
Nantes, His Holiness explained about the importance and significance of
observing the global mass prayer session and symbolic fast for 12 hours
to be held on 30 August.
Addressing some 7200 devotees, His Holiness said he will be
participating in the fast on that day and expressed hope that they will
join him too in the non-violent action.
His Holiness said that this event would be better if people can
get together at a particular place, adding that the fast and prayers
can also be organised in their respective places with a good motive.
 Holiness the Dalai Lama returns to Dharamshala after a successful 12-day tour of France/Photo courtesy: Tibet Sun/Lobsang Wangyal/India |
On the morning of 22 August, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, First Lady of France,
Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and the Deputy Foreign Minister Mrs
Rama Yade, who heads the French government’s human rights department
jointly called on His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
During the meeting, His Holiness briefed them on the Central
Tibetan Administration’s policy of engaging in dialogue and
negotiations in resolving the issue of Tibet during the meetings held
between his envoys and representatives of the Chinese government.
His Holiness also apprised them on the present situation in
Tibet especially since the event of 10 March this year and the Chinese
government’s policy to marginalise the Tibetans in Tibet by sending
more Han Chinese to Tibet after the Olympic Games.
France’s First Lady and the foreign minister both held separate meetings with His Holiness for about four minutes each.
The foreign minister asked His Holiness if he has any specific
message on the issue of Tibet, which he might want to convey to the
Chinese leaders.
Mr Kouchner also told His Holiness that he had a proposal to
discuss with the foreign ministers of 27 EU member States to invite His
Holiness to address them on the issue of Tibet. His Holiness agreed to
the foreign minister’s proposal.
Later in the afternoon, His Holiness addressed about 30 Tibetan
lamas, monks and some foreign Buddhist on “Dholgyal issue”. His
Holiness also spoke on the significance of the non-violent campaign of
12-hour fast and prayer session.
–The updates on His Holiness’ visit to France filed by Office of
Tibet, Paris. Additional reporting by Lobsang CHOEDAK and Pema Lhaden
