Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Nov. 12: The Czech capital celebrated the 90th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the enduring friendship he shared with the late Czech President Václav Havel at a gala event titled “Dalai Lama 90, Havel 89” held Tuesday at Prague’s historic Vinohradské Divadlo. The event honoured their shared moral and spiritual legacy, as well as their commitment to democracy, human rights, and freedom.
Organised by Češi Tibet podporují (Czechs Support Tibet) in collaboration with the Václav Havel Library and United Islands, the celebration was held under the patronage of Czech President Petr Pavel and the auspices of Deputy Speaker of the Czech Senate Jitka Seitlová and Prague Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda, who were among the distinguished guests in attendance.
According to tibet.net, the official portal of the Central Tibetan Administration, CTA President Penpa Tsering attended the event accompanied by Representative Thinlay Chukki of the Tibet Bureau in Geneva. Senators of the Czech Republic and Tibetan religious representatives, including the 13th Kyabje Kundeling Tatsak Rinpoche, Jetsun Tenzin Chokyi Gyaltsen, Telo Tulku Rinpoche, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Tibet Culture and Information Centre in Moscow, and Ven. Thubten Wangchen, member of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, were also present.
Delivering the opening remarks, the Tibetan political leader said, “This event is very important for us to remember the legacies of President Havel and the messages of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the world. Both suffered under the suppression of the communist government and various struggles to free their people. You are free today, and we are still struggling.”
Elaborating on His Holiness’s message to humanity, he added, “His Holiness always says that I am one among the eight billion people in this world, with the same value that President Havel had. That is why His Holiness always says that as one individual, my responsibility is to promote human values of love, compassion, freedom, dignity, and democracy.”
He further noted that while the Czech Republic now flourishes as a democracy, Tibetans continue to practice democratic governance in exile under the leadership of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. President Tsering also highlighted the Dalai Lama’s decades-long effort to introduce Social, Emotional and Ethical (SEE) Learning, a secular education framework aimed at nurturing emotional awareness, compassion, and ethical intelligence.
The evening featured the official launch of “The Dalai Lama & Havel – Warriors for Truth & Love: A Story of Exceptional Friendship as Inspiration for Today’s Troubled World”, co-authored by Kateřina Bursíková Jacques and Kateřina Procházková, along with cultural performances that celebrated the rich tapestry of Tibetan art and Czech solidarity.
In a special video message, renowned Hollywood actor and long-time Tibet supporter Richard Gere expressed gratitude to President Petr Pavel and the Czech people for their steadfast support of Tibet. Gere fondly recalled the deep friendship between Václav Havel and the Dalai Lama, describing it as an enduring source of inspiration that continues to connect Czechia with the Tibetan cause.
