Nobel tributes at Dalai Lama 80 b'day bash in US

ANAHEIM ,UNITE STATES;

Fellow Nobel peace laureates joined thousands
of followers of Dalai Lama Sunday to celebrate
the Tebetan spiritual leader's 80th birthday
kicking off a three-day honorary bash in California.

A string of minor celebrities also paid tribute to
the crimson  robed 14th Dalai Lama ahead of his
birthday Monday ,although protesters also gathered
outside the event south of Los Angeles.

"He always says he is just a simple Buddhist monk"
said ant-landmines campaigner Jodi Williams who
won the Nobel peace prize 1997
  who sang a snippet of Happy Birthday to him,

"He may a simple Buddhist Monk, but he is the
most rocking ,compassionate simple Buddhist
monk I know,The Dalai Lama was guest of
honor at the Global Compassion Summit at
the Honda center in Anaheim ,speaking on awakening
compassion "and the "transformative power of
creativity and art"

About 18,000 followers packed into the conference
centre gave him a standing ovation during the three
hour event at which he was presented with an
eight -foot high birthday cake,

Daai Lama does not want any physical gifts
For him this birthday is just like any other day
said Lama Tenzin  Dhonen  founder of friends
of Daai Lama,

"How ever ,if we can help to create a more
compassionate ,kind planet ,that would be the
most beautiful gift of all,added the Buddhist
monk who broke down in tears at one point
in his tribute,

Other speakers  included rapper MC Hammer
,veteran talk show host Larry  King and online
entrepreneur Arianna  Huffington as well as
actors Josh Radnor and William Valderrama,

AFP