From: World Tibet Network News, Thursday, July 13, 1995

By Carole Samdup, CTC-Montreal

Over 100 guests crowded into a brightly decorated hall in Montreal last Saturday, July 8, to celebrate the sixtieth birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Many were representatives of the international non-governmental community currently in Canada to study human rights law under the sponsorhip of the Canadian Human Rights Foundation. Guests from Italy, Camaroon, Guatamala, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Hungary, Belgium, and Iran joined the local Tibetan community and Canadians in a prayer ceremony for the long life of His Holiness.

The guests offered khatas to His Holiness' photo and took part in the tsampa throwing (Lhagyal Thenpa) ceremony which followed. Opera master Phurbu Tsering, former teacher at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts in Dharmsala, performed namthar as the cedar branches burned and the tsampa scattered in the warm summer air. A festive performance of folk dance followed, and our guests from all regions of the world joined the celebration and the wonderful buffet meal which followed.

Tibetan Member of Parliament for North America, Thubten Samdup said, "This is a very appropriate way to celebrate the birthday of the Dalai Lama. Not only Tibetans, but people from around the world are joining together to show respect for values expressed in His Holiness' teachings."

The celebration was organized by the Tibetan Cultural Association and the Tibetan Women's Association of Montreal.