The Dalai Lama is celebrating his 80th birthday with a three-day California bash. A number of fellow Nobel Prize laureates, minor celebrities and thousands of followers joined in on the fun, according to the Economic Times. The renowned Tibetan spiritual leader was presented with an eight-foot high birthday cake and a snippet of “Happy Birthday”sung by 1997 Nobel Prize winner Jodi Williams.
While 18,000 people were inside giving the 14th Dalai Lama a standing ovation, several hundred protesters stood outside holding posters that read, “Stop Lying” and “Hypocrisy.”
The Dalai Lama has been in exile from China since 1959.
Over the next two days, the religious figurehead will go on to discuss climate change and participate in two panels: one on wisdom, vision and experience and the other on youth leadership and the significance of education.
Dalai Lama celebrates turning 80 with three-day birthday bash
Twitter/@DalaiLama
