The appearance of the spiritual leader of the Tibetans in the Hallenstadion conveys a lesson in tranquility.
The Dalai Lama welcomes his followers at the Zurich Hallenstadion.
On Sunday morning, just before eight o’clock, rain drizzles, and a hint of autumn hovers over Zurich. The city remains asleep, with the streets nearly empty. However, the day has long commenced outside the Hallenstadion in Oerlikon. Thousands are queuing: women, men, children, and seniors. Parents carry babies and toddlers, or they slowly push grandparents in wheelchairs ahead of them. All this occurs in perfect calm, wrapped up in umbrellas or without.
Many of the waiting attendees are dressed in robes inspired by the traditional Chuba of the Himalayan mountain communities. The women’s ceremonial outfits flow down to their ankles; the men wear the coat-like garments slightly shorter, with trousers underneath. Some visitors have journeyed from Paris. A bus from the French capital pulls up right outside the Hallenstadion. The Tibetan driver simply smiles when a policeman attempts to explain that parking there is not allowed.
There’s no rush, and the passengers should be able to disembark first. After all, they didn’t travel 650 kilometers to let Zurich’s traffic regulations spoil their celebratory mood at the last minute.
The goal for the French tourist group and everyone else waiting outside the Hallenstadion: they wish to see the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetans worldwide. Following a multi-week hospital stay in the USA, “His Holiness” made a stop in Zurich on Friday. Now, the 89-year-old will address his compatriots in a so-called instruction.
“We grew up here”
For the more than 8,000 Tibetans residing in Switzerland, this is a momentous occasion, a joyful event for families. The majority of attendees at the arena belong to the local diaspora. They, their parents, or their grandparents fled to Switzerland during the 1960s after China’s annexation of Tibet and the onset of a cultural annihilation campaign against the Buddhist minority under Mao.
The event had been sold out for days. The only seats left were behind the stage.
The Tibetan language and religion remain under pressure today. The communist central government steadfastly pursues its assimilation policy in the southwestern province. Monasteries are no longer permitted to teach Tibetan, and children are placed in boarding schools where the primary language of instruction is Mandarin. The lost homeland of the Tibetans in exile risks becoming an obedient outpost of Beijing.
This situation heightens the importance of the Dalai Lama even further. The 89-year-old not only embodies Buddhist wisdom but is also a national hero, a beacon of hope, and a personal role model all in one. This is evident even before he takes the stage at the Hallenstadion. A couple from Bern—she wearing Tibetan attire, he casually dressed—smile into the Tele Züri camera and state: “We grew up here.” Nonetheless, it is vital for them to be close to the Dalai Lama. They have contemplated flying to India to visit him in his exile in Dharamsala. A trip to Zurich is, of course, the more convenient option.
Think positively, act positively
It is also a significant day for Karma Gahler, co-president of the Tibetan Youth in Europe Association (VTJE). The student from St. Gallen is accompanied by her parents, siblings, uncles, and aunts from Eastern Switzerland, along with a few friends from England.
Karma Gahler, co-president of the Tibetan Youth in Europe Association.
She has much to say regarding China, Tibet, and Switzerland. Together with other organizations, her association has initiated a petition that urges the Federal Council to demand respect for human rights in discussions about the future development of the free trade agreement with China.
However, on Sunday, such issues are not the focus. It is the Dalai Lama’s day, and the 24-year-old anticipates his presence just like all the other Tibetan exiles in the arena. At 9 a.m., the moment arrives: the spiritual leader of the Tibetans steps onto the stage, gradually making his way to his throne. Tibetan monks flank him on either side for support. His advanced age, the strain of the lengthy journey, and the complicated knee surgery he underwent in the USA are visibly clear.
Yet, his messages remain profoundly relevant, even in exile, far from his Himalayan homeland: faith provides refuge, instills confidence, creates positive emotions, and consequently enables good deeds “for the benefit of all living beings.” The Dalai Lama promotes “a positive mindset—regardless of whether one is a Buddhist or not.”
What is the meaning of life?
He provides a straightforward answer to this question: “The pursuit of knowledge—that is the most significant quality of humankind.”
Tibetan women perform a traditional dance in honor of “His Holiness.”
“Long live the Dalai Lama!” The audience repeatedly chants this phrase a thousand times. The monks in the hall pay homage to their leader by presenting him with gifts for a long life and offering prayers with a khata, a Tibetan lucky ribbon. Dances are performed, mantras are recited, and prayers are humbly sung.
Then, after a full hour, the performance by “His Holiness” concludes.
Pressure from Beijing: Mario Fehr remains composed
Karma Gahler feels elated. She experiences a profound inner peace, according to the marketing student at HSG. The pressure she faces in her studies simply fades away in this environment. “I hope to carry some of this calmness into my everyday life, especially for my master’s thesis,” she notes. But it’s easier said than done.
Mario Fehr is also pleased. The non-partisan security director of Zurich was seated in the front row alongside the Dalai Lama. Next to him sits Green National Council member Sibel Arslan, vice president of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and her party colleague Nicolas Walder, vice president of the Parliamentary Friendship Group Switzerland-Tibet. The two federal politicians were the highest representatives on site from Bern. The cantonal government, however, has been shunning the Dalai Lama for years, fearing that otherwise, Beijing could be permanently offended, potentially harming Swiss economic interests in China.
Mario Fehr, Security Director of the Canton of Zurich.
However, Mario Fehr, who has long maintained good relations with the Tibetan community in Switzerland and has many Tibetan friends, is unfazed. He does not wish to be dictated by Beijing. “We meet the individuals we choose to meet. We have always done this and will continue to do so.” The fact that the Chinese are displeased with this is their concern. One must always communicate one’s own values and defend them, said the security director after the ceremony. Furthermore, he has not received any complaints from the Federal Council regarding his Tibet policy up to now.
He pronounces this statement, bows respectfully, and walks away with a spring in his step. He too appears to wish to internalize the calmness and serenity of “His Holiness.”
The Dalai Lama is led from the stage. After a hospital stay in the USA, the 89-year-old made a stopover in Zurich.
The appearance of the spiritual leader of the Tibetans in the Hallenstadion is a lesson in serenity.
The Dalai Lama welcomes his followers at the Zurich Hallenstadion.
Sunday morning, shortly before eight. It’s raining, a hint of autumn is hanging over Zurich. The city is still asleep, the streets are almost deserted. But the day has long since begun in front of the Hallenstadion in Oerlikon. Thousands of people are queuing: women, men, children, older people. Parents are carrying babies and small children in their arms, or they are slowly pushing grandparents in wheelchairs in front of them. In complete peace, with or without an umbrella.
Many of those waiting are wearing robes that are based on the traditional Chuba of the mountain peoples in the Himalayas. The women’s festive garments reach down to their ankles; men wear the coat-like costumes a little shorter and trousers underneath. Some visitors have traveled from Paris. The coach from the French capital stops right in front of the Hallenstadion. The Tibetan driver just smiles when a policeman tries to explain to him that the vehicle is not allowed to park here.
There’s no rush, the passengers should be able to get off first. After all, you didn’t drive 650 kilometers just to have the celebratory mood spoiled by Zurich traffic regulations at the last minute.
The goal of the French tour group and everyone else in front of the Hallenstadion: They want to see the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetans around the world. After a hospital stay of several weeks in the USA, “His Holiness” made a stopover in Zurich on Friday. Now the 89-year-old will address his compatriots in a so-called instruction.
«We grew up here»
For the more than 8,000 Tibetans in Switzerland, this is a huge deal, a joyful event for the whole family. Most of the spectators in the arena come from the local diaspora. They themselves, their parents or their grandparents fled to Switzerland in the 1960s after China annexed Tibet and, under Mao, started a war of cultural annihilation against the Buddhist minority.
The event had been sold out for days. The only seats left were behind the stage.
The language and religion of the Tibetans are still under pressure today. The communist central government is uncompromisingly pushing ahead with its assimilation policy in the southwestern province. Monasteries are no longer allowed to teach Tibetan, children are put in boarding schools where they mainly learn Mandarin. The lost homeland of the Tibetans in exile is increasingly in danger of becoming a conformist outpost of Beijing.
This makes the Dalai Lama all the more important. The 89-year-old not only embodies Buddhist wisdom. He is a national hero, a beacon of hope and a personal role model all in one. This is already evident before his appearance at the Hallenstadion. A couple from Bern – she in Tibetan costume, he casual – smile into the Tele Züri camera and say: “We grew up here.” Nevertheless, it is important to be close to the Dalai Lama. They have already considered flying to India to see him in his exile in Dharamsala. A trip to Zurich is of course the more obvious option.
Think positive, act positive
It is also a big day for Karma Gahler, co-president of the Tibetan Youth in Europe Association (VTJE). The student from St. Gallen has parents, siblings, aunts and uncles from Eastern Switzerland with her – plus a few friends from England.
Karma Gahler, co-president of the Tibetan Youth in Europe Association.
She has a lot to say about China, Tibet and Switzerland. Her association, together with other organisations, has, for example, a petition which obliges the Federal Council to insist on respect for human rights in the negotiations on the further development of the free trade agreement with China.
But such questions are not the focus on Sunday. It is the Dalai Lama’s day, and the 24-year-old is looking forward to him, like all the other Tibetan exiles in the arena. At 9 a.m. the moment has come: the spiritual leader of the Tibetans enters the stage, slowly walking towards his throne. Tibetan monks to his left and right support him. His advanced age, the strain of the long journey and the complicated knee operation in the USA are clearly visible.
But his messages are still very relevant, even in exile, far from his homeland in the Himalayas: faith provides refuge, gives confidence, creates positive emotions and thus enables good deeds, “for the benefit of all living beings.” The Dalai Lama advocates “a positive attitude of mind – regardless of whether you are a Buddhist or not.”
The meaning of life?
He has a simple answer to this question: “The pursuit of knowledge – that is the most important quality of us humans.”
Tibetan women perform a traditional dance in honor of “His Holiness.”
“Long live the Dalai Lama!” The calls from the audience are repeated a thousand times. The monks in the hall pay homage to their leader by giving him gifts for a long life and a khata, a Tibetan lucky ribbon. Dances are performed, mantras are repeated, prayers are hummed.
Then, after a good hour, the performance of “His Holiness” is over.
Pressure from Beijing: Mario Fehr stays cool
Karma Gahler is happy. She feels a great inner peace, says the marketing student at the HSG. The pressure she feels during her studies simply disappears here. “I hope that I can take some of this calmness with me into everyday life, for my master’s thesis, for example.” But that is easier said than done.
Mario Fehr is also satisfied. The non-partisan Zurich security director was in the front row with the Dalai Lama. Next to him: Green National Councilor Sibel Arslan, Vice President of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and her party colleague Nicolas Walder, Vice President of the Parliamentary Friendship Group Switzerland – Tibet. The two federal politicians were the highest representatives from Bern on site. The state government, however, has been avoiding the Dalai Lama for years. The fear that otherwise Beijing could be permanently angered and the interests of the Swiss economy in China could be damaged is too great.
Mario Fehr, Security Director of the Canton of Zurich.
Mario Fehr, however, who has long maintained good contacts with the Tibetan community in Switzerland and has many Tibetan friends, remains unimpressed. He does not want to be told what to do by Beijing. “We meet the people we want to meet. We have always done it this way and we will continue to do it.” The fact that the Chinese do not like this is their business. You always have to communicate your own values and stand up for them, said the security director after the ceremony. And no, he has not heard any concerns from the Federal Council about his Tibet policy so far.
He says this, bows politely and walks away with a spring in his step. He too seems to want to take the serenity and inner peace of “His Holiness” to heart.
The Dalai Lama is led from the stage. After a hospital stay in the USA, the 89-year-old made a stopover in Zurich.
