By Khedroob Thondup

I am one of six million Tibetans who wholeheartedly support His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s roadmap for his next reincarnation. This is not merely a matter of faith, nor simply a question of tradition. It is the assertion of a people’s right to determine their spiritual destiny, free from external interference, and to safeguard the continuity of our culture and identity.

For Tibetans, the Dalai Lama is not only a spiritual leader but the embodiment of our collective resilience. His roadmap for reincarnation is both pragmatic and visionary: pragmatic because it anticipates the political attempts to manipulate or distort the sacred process; visionary because it ensures that Tibetans themselves, whether in Tibet or in exile, will remain the guardians of authenticity. His Holiness has made clear that the choice of his reincarnation belongs to the Tibetan people and the Tibetan Buddhist traditio...