STORY: The Dalai Lama said on Wednesday (July 2) that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue and the Gaden Phodrang trust has sole authority to recognise the future reincarnation, ending years of waiting by followers of the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader for details about his succession.

Speaking during the 15th Tibetan Religious Conference, he said no one else has any such authority to interfere in the matter of the future reincarnation. The Dalai Lama was not physically present at the conference and attendees watched him deliver his video statement via a television monitor.

The three-day conference comes ahead of the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday on Sunday (July 6). He had said on Monday (June 30) that there will be a “framework” to discuss his succession ahead of his birthday.

His statement on Wednesday is expected to irk China, which views him as a separatist and says it will choose his successor. The Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule, has said his successor will be born outside China and urged his followers to reject anyone chosen by Beijing.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: MONKS SEATED FOR TIBETAN RELIGIOUS CONFERENCE / DALAI LAMA DELIVERING VIDEO STATEMENT SCREENED ON MONITOR / MONKS PRAYING

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: UPDATE WITH TRANSLATION OF SPEECH TO COME LATER

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: DHARAMSHALA, HIMACHAL PRADESH, INDIA (JULY 2, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all)

1. MONKS SEATED AT THE INAUGURAL SESSION OF THE 15TH TIBETAN RELIGIOUS CONFERENCE

2. MONK SPEAKING AT LECTERN, THEN MOVING AWAY / DALAI LAMA DELIVERING VIDEO STATEMENT AS SEEN ON MONITOR

3. VARIOUS OF MONKS PRAYING

4. DALAI LAMA SPEAKING IN VIDEO STATEMENT AS SEEN ON MONITOR

5. MONK SPEAKING AT LECTERN