LONDON (AP) – One of the most talked-about appearances at Britain’s Glastonbury music festival wasn’t a singer or rocker – it was the Dalai Lama.
The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, who appeared at the festival for the first time, spoke on a small platform about the need for a moral education at schools and universities. The Nobel Peace Prize winner also called Glastonbury a “festival of people, not politicians and governments.”
He earlier dismissed as a “usual response” criticism from the Chinese foreign affairs ministry, which said it was firmly opposed to any organization that gave a platform to his “anti-China separatist activities.”
The spiritual leader joined singer Patti Smith on stage Sunday, where he was presented with a birthday cake. The crowd sang “Happy Birthday” to mark his 80th birthday next week.