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Dalai Lama's 90th birthday to be celebrated in McLeodganj, Rijiju to attend

As days draw closer to the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday on July 6, monks clad in maroon and saffron robes are moving towards Tsuglagkhang, the main Dalai Lama temple, in the Himalayan town of McLeodganj. The small town in Himachal Pradesh, also known as 'Little Lhasa' for being the host to the Tibetan government-in-exile, is the centre of global interest as a series of events, celebrations and, perhaps, announcement of a successor mark the 90th birth anniversary of the spiritual leader. The week-long celebrations that began on June 30 have picked up pace with a lineup of religious conferences, youth forums, film screenings, and communal prayers over the weekend. Over 100 Tibetan Buddhist leaders and representatives attended the 15th Tibetan Religious Conference on July 2-4 and more than 100 young Tibetans from 15 countries are attending the International Tibetan Youth Forum from July 3-5. The major events leading up to the Dalai Lama's birth anniversary include a community prayer on July 5 led by the members of the 'Kashag', the cabinet of the Tibetan government. "His Holiness the Dalai Lama will attend a long life prayer offered to him by the Kashag of the Central Tibetan Administration on behalf of all the Tibetan people in the morning at the Main Tibetan Temple," a statement by the Central Tibetan Administration said. On the evening of July 5, a film "4 Rivers 6 Ranges" will be premiered. Directed by Shenpenn Khymsar, the film is a retelling of Tibet's struggle for independence. On July 6, the 90th birthday celebration of the 14th Dalai Lama will take place with the launch of the "Year of Compassion". Dignitaries including Union minister Kiren Rijiju, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, and Hollywood actor Richard Gere will attend the special ceremony. During the week-long celebration, the issue of the Dalai Lama's successor has also come up. The Dalai Lama is revered by Tibetan Buddhists as a living manifestation of Chenrezig, the Buddhist god of compassion. The Tibetan spiritual leader on Wednesday affirmed that the sacred institution of the Dalai Lama will continue and only the Gaden Phodrang Trust will have the authority to recognise his future "reincarnation", declaring no one else can "interfere" in his succession plan. China rejected the Nobel Peace laureate's succession plan, insisting that any future heir must receive its seal of approval, adding a new chapter to Tibetan Buddhism's decades-long struggle with the Chinese ruling Communist Party. From 7-9 July, a three-day festivity will feature Tibetan arts, crafts, medicines, literature, religion, educational exhibitions, film festival, and medical camps organised by the departments of the Central Tibetan Administration.