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The Dalai Lama Visits Frankfurt

30/07/09July 30, 2009

The Dalai Lama has started his visit to the German city of Frankfurt. He has been invited by Buddhist Organisations based in Germany. During his stay, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader will address a crowd of nearly 40,000 people at a stadium and will hold a series of lectures on Buddhism. He will also participate in seminars on topics such as peace, the environment, and the economy.

https://p.dw.com/p/LsQz
The premier of the state of Hesse, Roland Koch with the Dalai Lama in Neu-Isenburg, Frankfurt
The premier of the state of Hesse, Roland Koch with the Dalai Lama in Neu-Isenburg, FrankfurtImage: DW/Gui

“I have nothing to say except showing my face to your camera….” In a cheerful mood, the Dalai Lama greeted the media in Frankfurt late Wednesday. He said he was happy to be in Germany again. At the press conference, the exiled leader did not speak about politics, but about politicians and about rules of a happy life.

“I believe every human being, including politicians, have a potential to develop inner peace," he said. “My commitment is to make this clear that everyone has that potential to have a happy life.”

Missing Lhasa

During the press conference, the exiled leader gave a lot of attention to a child reporter, who asked him one question after another. The Dalai Lama answered all the questions with patience. For instance, that he never liked to study as a child or that he meditates in his spare time. The journalist also asked if he ever missed his home in Tibet. The Dalai Lama responded thoughtfully:

“If I were in Tibet, in Potala, today I don’t think I could have seen so many opportunities. Because we became refugees and came to India and we found new opportunities. Of course inside Tibet things are very, very sad. But Lhasa’s climate is pleasant and I am missing that.”

Support for the plight of Tibetans

On Wednesday, he also met his longtime friend Roland Koch, the Premier of the state of Hesse. Koch told the Tibetan leader that Germany was concerned about human rights violations in Tibet and western China’s Xinjiang region. He also said that the nation supports the Dalai Lama’s peaceful efforts to seek cultural autonomy and religious freedom.

In 2007, relations between Germany and China soured over German Chancellor Angela Markel’s meeting with the Tibetan spiritual leader in Berlin.

Beijing does not recognise the Dalai Lama’s government-in-exile. It accuses the Dalai Lama of using his foreign trips to engage in separatist activities to seek full independence. The Dalai Lama denies this accusation and insists he seeks only greater autonomy.

Author: Hao Gui/Disha Uppal
Editor: Pia Chandavarkar