The Dalai Lama – Intense & Sort of Mellow

From the BBC website:

Comedian Russell Brand has fulfilled his role as an unlikely compere for the Dalai Lama in Manchester, as part of the Tibetan spiritual leader’s UK tour. Brand introduced the Dalai Lama’s address entitled Century Of Dialogue – Stand Up and Be the Change. The Dalai Lama’s tour aims to spread the 76-year-old Buddhist’s teachings of peace and understanding to youngsters. Brand told the audience he had just met the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate for the first time and found him “amazing”. The crowd at Manchester Arena was mainly made up of under-25s who were given free tickets for the event. The Dalai Lama told the audience the future was in the hands of young people who could make change happen. ‘Never give up hope – the 21st Century belongs to you,” he said.
“My generation belongs to the 20th Century, it has already gone so my generation are ready to say bye bye. You are the main people who really create the better shape of the world so therefore I think quite certain this century can be more pleasant, more peaceful and more equal.” He said vision, warm-heartedness and determination were necessary to attain those goals and that young people were more open-minded.

During the event Brand and the Dalai Lama appeared to form an unlikely double act.
At one point the Dalai Lama playfully tugged Brand’s beard on stage, and the comedian responded: “Not really a lot I can do in a situation like this. I just have to go with it.”
Brand described the Dalai Lama as “intense and sort of mellow, which is what you expect of someone who meditates five times a day”… Read the full article here.