The Dalai Lama began his two-day visit to Cambridge today with a press conference at St John's College, ahead of a talk on Saturday on ‘Non-violence for Conflict Resolution’ as part of the Global Scholars Symposium. 

The Dalai Lama joked and smiled after having breakfast with Chris Dobson, Master of St John’s. Before he had received any questions, he told the media they ought to grow longer noses to better ‘sniff out problems’. Looking down the back of his hostess, he said ‘it is important for the media to look both in front and behind them, with long noses, this is important in a democratic society’.

After making various well-known reporters from the BBC, Daily Mail, Independent and Tab chuckle, he gave a brief account of his three main commitments: compassion, religious harmony, and Tibet. Pointing out that he has retired from political activity, he explained he would not necessarily respond to current political questions.

When asked to sing the ‘song which most sums up his life’, the Dalai Lama was reluctant to perform his favourite Tibetan chant. He asked the CamFM reporter if he had a favourite song, enjoying the convivial atmosphere in the room.

Asked by Varsity what would need to happen for him to support another Korean War, he said that he would like scientists to ‘develop one bullet which can go to the real problem-makers, not innocent people, not kids.’ He has stated that the last Korean War was ‘just’ because it allowed South Korea to develop democracy.

The Dalai Lama argued that within this century, if the education system could be corrected so that it educates the heart as well as the brain, humanity’s underlying compassion would bring global peace. He refused to accept that humans are truly negative, ‘if it’s true that humans are negative, we should pray that the world will end’.

Asked about the rising numbers of Tibetans who self-immolate, he refused to respond, saying that his duty to Tibetans was not one of leadership but of giving them a voice. He explained, ‘the Tibetan people are my boss, I’m not their boss’.

The event was brought to an abrupt end when an Epoch Times reporter demanded support from the Dalai Lama for the persecuted Falung Gong group in China. Epoch Times, a Chinese media organisation affiliated with marginised groups, including the Tibetans, seeks to challenge the narrative of Chinese state media. Earlier, the Dalai Lama mentioned that he deplores censorship in answer to a previous question, but did not give a substantial response to the reporter after the event organisers quickly wrapped up proceedings.

After shaking the hands of various excited onlookers, including an avid fan who had attended a number of his recent lectures, the Dalai Lama left to take his pre-ordered steak lunch with the Master.

Later the Dalai Lama gave his first of three talks in a packed St John's Chapel, broadcast live to the world on YouTube. He broke the ice with a characteristic chuckle, and told listeners about his 'spoilt and aggressive' nature as a child; 'I did have maximum affection from my mother'. After about twenty minutes of speaking, a good section of the audience had given up trying to keep pace with his anecdotes and looked either confused or defeated. He nevertheless pressed on, stressing the importance of a non-academic education and the importance of genuine compassion.

Asked to comment on the imbalance between the number of men and women in poverty, the Dalai Lama digressed somewhat onto an anecdote about a Tibetan monk in the 1960s. The monk told a woman that she was not physically attractive, but she was not to worry because she had inner beauty. A few eyebrows were raised. He nevertheless left the audience charmed. Smiling he explained that even if we did not entirely understand him, it was our fault: 'you invited me'.