Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, was born on July 6, 1935, in Taktser, Tibet, and has lived in exile in Dharamshala, India, since 1959. He is the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate (1989), recognized for his nonviolent campaign for Tibetan autonomy. In 2011 he stepped down from his political role, transferring authority to a democratically elected government while retaining his spiritual leadership. He is widely regarded as one of the most prominent moral voices of our time.
The Czech documentary film Dalai Lama - Ocean of Wisdom directed by Viliam Poltikovič enters cinemas on July 9, 2026; the film draws from archival footage shot between 1991-2022.
At the 68th Grammy Awards ceremony, the Dalai Lama received the award for Best Audiobook for the album Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness The Dalai Lama.
On July 6, 2025, the Dalai Lama celebrated his 90th birthday; the ceremonial celebration took place in Dharamshala with the participation of thousands of believers from around the world.
On July 2, 2025, the Dalai Lama publicly confirmed that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue, and emphasized that the exclusive authority to determine his successor belongs solely to his Gaden Phodrang Trust foundation.
In March 2025, the Dalai Lama published his memoirs Voice for the Voiceless: Over Seven Decades of Struggle With China for My Land and My People with HarperCollins publisher.
