Stockholm, Sweden, 15 April 2011 (Swedish Tibet Committee) - His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrived in Sweden late on Thursday (15 April), for a three-day visit to Stockholm and Lund.
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His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the 'Meet the Dalai Lama' event in Stockholm, Sweeden, on April 15th, 2011. Photo/Lotta Gyllensten/Office of Tibet, London
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His Holiness spoke to over 3000 people at Stockholm Waterfront Congress Centre at a public talk "Meeting with Dalai Lama" arranged by Swedish Organisation for Individual Relief (IM) on the same day.
The questions asked focused on the notions of compassion, harmony and happiness but his recent statement of his imminent retirement also gave rise to some questions. His Holiness reaffirmed the decision to devolve his political authority to the elected leadership to further democratise the Tibetan community. In his meeting with local press he said: "I end the four century old tradition voluntarily, happily and proudly."
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| Personal articles donated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the Nobel Museum in Stockholm, Sweden. Photo April 15th, 2011/Tenzin Taklha/OHHDL |
His Holiness also mentioned that things are changing in China and that he is still hopeful, noticing that the awareness about Tibet among the Chinese population is increasing and so is their criticising of their own government on its policy in Tibet.
Earlier in the morning His Holiness visited the Nobel Museum to receive a private tour of the exhibition and as part of the tradition signed his name on the bottom of his chair in the restaurant of the museum, as most other Nobel laureates have done before him. These chairs account for one of the museums "hidden" treasures. His Holiness the Dalai Lama also donated some personal belongings including a pen, a pair of glasses and a Buddhist scripture to the museum.
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His Holiness the Dalai Lama addressing students and staff at Soderton University on the theme of 'A Human Approach to World Peace' in Stockholm, Sweden, on April 15th, 2011. Photo/Lotta Gyllensten/Office of Tibet, London
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During the day His Holiness also spoke to hundreds of students at Södertörn University, entitled "A Human Approach to World Peace", which was also screened on the University campus for all those who were not able to fit inside the auditorium. His Holiness' speech was followed by an outdoor meditation for peace led by Lama Lobsang from the Tibetan Community in Sweden.
