Earlier today the Dalai Lama took to a small wooden stage at Glastonbury Festival in front of a Tibetan flag in the King’s Meadow to share his message of ‘Love and tolerance and fairness’.
The exiled leader of Tibetan Buddhism made the appearance despite opposition from Chinese officials who warned Glastonbury organisers against booking the Dalai Lama, worried that they were providing a platform for the speaker to preach anti-Chinese sentiments and garner more support for an autonomous Tibet free from Chinese rule.
Such an honour to have the Dalai Lama here on Worthy Farm this morning. pic.twitter.com/6OZPN7iDoM
— Glastonbury Festival (@GlastoFest) June 28, 2015
The 14th Dalai Lama spoke primarily about problems caused by conflict when religious ideology is used to push its agenda through violence. ‘In Syria and Iraq and some other places they’re killing other human beings,’ he said. ‘Unthinkable. The worst thing is the killing of others in the name of faith. Unthinkable’
The speech was met with a welcoming reception from the crowd who even sang a rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ for the Dalai Lama in advance of his 80th birthday on July 6th.
The monk praised the festival and said to the crowd ‘While you are here, enjoy the joyfulness here,’ he said. ‘But you should remember on this same planet are human beings being killed by human beings.’
He is also expected to make another appearance on The Pyramid stage late today.
