This morning, His Holiness the Dalai Lama drove the short distance from his residence at the main Tibetan monastery here to Palyul Namdroling Monastery. There members of the Nyingma Tradition were to make offerings and prayers for his long life as part of their Great Prayer Festival.

In separate letters His Holiness the Dalai Lama has congratulated the Honourable Kevin McCarthy, Speaker of the US House of Representatives and House Democratic leader, the Honourable Hakeem Jeffries, on their victories in the recent elections to their respective posts.

Under a wintry sky this morning, His Holiness the Dalai Lama drove out past the Magadh University to the prospective site of the Dalai Lama Centre for Tibetan and Ancient Indian Wisdom. There, as monks of Namgyal Monastery chanted prayers, accompanied by the Hon’ble Kiren Rijiju, Minister for Law and Justice, Government of India, Shri Sushil Modi, MP, Dr Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, President of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and Ambassador Kumar Tuhin, Director General ICCR, he unveiled the foundation stone.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama has written to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to congratulate him on being sworn in once more as President of Brazil.

This morning, as part of the Geluk Great Prayer Festival, the Geluk International Foundation, the organization representing the entire Geluk Tradition, offered prayers for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.