South African anti-apartheid leader Desmond Tutu celebrated the 80th birthday of his old friend and Tibetan spiritual leader, the 14th Dalai Lama, two months in advance in Dharamshala on Thursday.
Thousands of Tibetan people, young students including many foreigner
supporters also took part in the festivities by singing birthday songs
for their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. Tutu held the Dalai Lama's
hands as he danced to the tunes. The
Dalai Lama later cut his birthday cake.
The Dalai Lama's birthday is traditionally celebrated on July 6 and this year he will turn 80.
Students were present in large numbers at the celebrations.
"We are here to welcome his holiness today. Desmond Tutu is also coming here to celebrate his holiness Dalai Lama's birthday because he will not be here on his birthday so he is going to celebrate it today in advance. I came from Tibet and it's my first time to receive him so I am very excited today," said Tsering Wangmo, a Tibetan student.
Tutu arrived in Dharamsala on Saturday to meet his long-time friend.
In a special gesture, the Dalai Lama specially visited the Gaggal airport to receive the social activist.
The two unlikely literary collaborators, the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu, are reportedly set to further explore the topic of joy in a joint book.
Tutu is a South African rights activist and retired Anglican bishop
who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of
apartheid. He has come here along with his wife Nomalizo Leah
Shenxane.
