India
Dalai Lama apologizes after viral video
“His Holiness often teases people (…) even in public and in front of cameras”: Dalai Lama. photo
© Ashwini Bhatia/AP/dpa
First he kissed a boy on the mouth and then asked him to suck it. A video of it triggered a shitstorm on social media. The 87-year-old regrets the incident.
Tibet’s spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has apologized after a video of him and a boy went viral.
In the video, the Dalai Lama kisses the boy on the lips, then sticks out his tongue and asks him to suck it. Many people on social media criticized the Buddhist teacher’s behavior.
The Dalai Lama’s official Twitter account posted the following message on Monday: “A video clip is circulating showing a recent meeting where a young boy asked His Holiness the Dalai Lama if he could give him a hug. His Holiness would like to say hello to the apologize to the boy and his family, as well as to his many friends around the world, for the pain his words may have caused.” It added: “His Holiness often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way, even in public and in front of cameras.” He therefore regrets the incident.
The Dalai Lama is loved by many people internationally, for many he is a symbol of harmony. From his exile in India, he promotes the rights of the Tibetans and wants to achieve cultural and religious freedoms for them within the People’s Republic, also in dialogue with China. In 1989 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his struggle.