Dharamshala: On the occasion of the 29th birth anniversary of the 11th Panchen Lama of Tibet, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) releases a video titled “Panchen Lama’s 29th Birthday: Birthday Wishes in 29 languages”.
The video features 29 birthday wishes written to the Panchen Lama on his 29th birthday. The birthday wishes to Panchen Lama is made in 29 languages: Tibetan, Burmese, Bengali, Chinese, Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Gujarati, Greek, Gurmukhi. Hindi, Hebrew, Indonesian, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Kachin, Mongolian, Portuguese, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Telugu, Urdu and Vietnamese.
All the messages unanimously wished Panchen Lama on his birthday but at the same time prayed for his release. One of the wishers, Isabell from Germany, who is also 29 years old, writes, “From the bottom of my heart, I wish you the happiest 29th birthday. May we all be able to bring you back to the rightful place soon”.
The 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, was born to father Kunchok Phuntsok and mother Dechen Chodon on 25th April 1989 in Lhari County in Nagchu, Tibet. At the age of six, on 14 May 1995, His Holiness the Dalai Lama recognized him as the 11th Panchen Lama of Tibet. Three days after His Holiness the Dalai Lama publicly announced Choekyi Nyima as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama, the Chinese authorities abducted him and his family. Since then, they remain missing and incommunicado.
“Despite international intervention, China has not revealed the whereabouts of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and that of his family for decades. But Tibetans have not lost hope and faith in seeing the Panchen Lama rightfully placed in Tashi Lhunpo monastery”- said Sonam Norbu Dagpo, Secretary, International Relations, DIIR
DIIR’s Information Secretary (equivalent) Dhardon Sharling said the 29 birthday wishes to the Tibet’s missing Panchen Lama in 29 languages signifies that the longer the world is forced to celebrate Panchen Lama’s birthday in absentia, the stronger will be the commitment of the free world to ensuring his release.”
– Report filed by UN, EU and HR desk,DIIR –