Dalai Lama creates new headquarters in northern Spain

Tibetan Buddhists' leader opened a new Tibet House Foundation headquarters in Spain.

Photo: Dalai Lama creates new headquarters in northern Spain

The religious leader cast flower petals and blessed every room in the building before meeting representatives of the Spain's Tibetan community and members of the foundation.

The exiled leader exchanged katas - white silk scarves - with many of those who clamored to see him on his first visit to Barcelona in 10 years.

Later the Dalai Lama met with the archbishop of Barcelona, Lluis Martinez Sistachs, at the city's Episcopal Palace. The men discussed "matters relating to spiritualism and the need for interfaith dialogue, as well as collaboration between Catholics and Buddhists," Martinez Sistachs said.

The Dalai Lama thanked the foundation and the Tibetan community in Spain for sending money and medical supplies to refugee camps in India and Tibet. The foundation sends about 16,000 EUR(US$22,120) a year to help the residents of the camps, the foundation's leader, Thubten Wangchen, said.

On Monday the Dalai Lama met with Catalonia's leader, Josep Lluis Carod Rovira.

The Dalai Lama, whose worldly name is Tenzin Gyatso, fled Tibet in 1959 after the Chinese took over government of the mountainous country.

He is revered in Tibet but based in Dharmsala, India, where he heads a government in exile.