OTTAWA, Canada, November 23 (ANI): Canadian MPs have called for 2025 to be declared the “Year of Compassion” in honor of the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday, as part of a broader effort to reaffirm Canada’s support for Tibet and its people, Phayul reported.
MPs Karim Bardeesy, Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, and James Maloney delivered statements in the House of Commons underscoring the Dalai Lama’s enduring message of compassion and advocating for the rights of Tibetans.
More than 60 Tibetan delegates gathered on Parliament Hill for Canada Tibet Lobby Day 2025, meeting with MPs and urging support for the “Year of Compassion” declaration.
MP Karim Bardeesy reiterated the House’s 2024 resolution recognizing Tibetans as a unique people and nation, noting their long-standing contributions to Canada and the strength of Tibetan democracy in exile. MP Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe urged Parliament to declare 2025 the “Year of Compassion” in honor of the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday, calling for recognition of Tibet as an occupied nation and protection of Tibetans’ right to choose the Dalai Lama’s successor without external interference. MP James Maloney, Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Tibet, reflected on the 55-year history of Tibetan presence in Canada since the arrival of the first refugees in 1970, praising the Dalai Lama’s lasting message of peace and supporting the call for the 2025 designation, according to the Phayul report.
The statements coincided with the gathering of more than 60 Tibetan delegates from Toronto, Alberta, Belleville, and Ottawa for Canada Tibet Lobby Day 2025, organized by the Canada Tibet Committee in partnership with Parliamentary Friends of Tibet and Tibetan organizations across the country.
The primary request of this year’s Lobby Day was for Canada to endorse the declaration of 2025 as the “Year of Compassion” in tribute to the Dalai Lama’s lifelong commitment to non-violence, interfaith harmony, peace, and compassion. Delegates emphasized that such a declaration would honor the Dalai Lama’s legacy while reaffirming Canada’s commitment to upholding the rights and dignity of the Tibetan people, as highlighted in the Phayul report.
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