His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday to be celebrated as the “Universal Day of Compassion”

The 12th General Assembly of the Asian Buddhist Peace Conference (ABCP), entitled "The Buddhist Voice of the Global South", was held in New Delhi on 17 and 18 January 2024. The conference was inaugurated by Jagdeep Dhankhar, Vice President of India, and Kiren Rijiju, Indian Minister of Earth Sciences, who also addressed the conference. Gabji Demberel Choijamts, President of the ABCP, Kundeling Rinpoche, Buddhist monks, diplomats, scholars and over 200 Buddhist delegates from India, Mongolia, Russia, South Korea, Laos, Bangladesh, Japan, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Bhutan and Nepal attended the conference. Chime Tseyang, the Secretary of the Department of Religion and Culture CTA, also participated in the ABCP’s conference as a representative of the Central Tibetan Administration.

After two days of conference, the participants adopted a three-point resolution concerning His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The first point declares that, His Holiness the Dalai Lama to be the "Universal Supreme Leader of the Buddhist World" in recognition of his lifelong contribution to bringing Buddhist communities closer together and strengthening a sense of oneness of humanity; the second point proclaims July 6, the birthday of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, to be celebrated as "Universal Day of Compassion", honouring the core teachings of Lord Buddha and His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama to build a harmonious and peaceful world, thirdly, the importance of continuing the institution of Gaden Phodrang and the rejection of any interference by governments or individuals in the recognition of the reincarnation of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.