15-07-2025
Dalai Lama given Scottish classic as 90th birthday present
Daydreams Bookshop in Milngavie presented a copy of Nan Shepherd's classic, The Living Mountain, to the Dalai Lama ahead of his birthday, delivered personally by Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer during a visit to India.
Ross Greer, Scottish Greens MSP for the West of Scotland, said: "It was the privilege of a lifetime to meet with His Holiness the Dalai Lama ahead of his 90th birthday and to share with him the best wishes of his many friends in Scotland.
"I was delighted to present him with a copy of Nan Shepherd's Scottish literary classic, The Living Mountain, from our fantastic local independent bookshop, Daydreams Bookshop.
"This book is rightly recognised as the finest ever written about nature here in Scotland.
"I know it will resonate with him, given the similarly deep connections that the peoples of Scotland and Tibet have with our natural environments."
Elaine Sinclair, owner of Daydreams Bookshop, said: "We were delighted to be able to provide this wonderful Scottish book which has gone on an incredible journey with Ross from our wee bookshop in Milngavie, all the way to the hands of the Dalai Lama in India.
"Ross and his staff have welcomed us warmly to Milngavie (with his office just a few doors along from us) and we are very grateful for his ongoing support."
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(Image: Supplied) Ross Greer met the Dalai Lama and members of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile in his capacity as chair of the Scottish Parliament's Cross Party Group on Tibet.
His visit to Dharamsala, home to the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, included meetings with the President, Education Minister, and Speaker of the Parliament.
The Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government have lived in exile in India since 1959, following China's occupation of Tibet.
He used his 90th birthday to announce that the institution would continue after his death and that only his foundation would have the authority to appoint his successor.
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Ross Greer said: "During my trip, I met with figures including the Tibetan Government's Education Minister and with headteachers of their schools for refugee children.
"I am now keen to establish partnerships between our fantastic local schools and their equivalents in the Tibetan exile community.
"With America cutting the funding these schools depended on, many are now struggling, but I know that kind-hearted and internationalist people here in Scotland would be willing to offer support."
