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The Dalai Lama Says 'Europe Belongs To Europeans'

The Dalai Lama Says 'Europe Belongs To Europeans'

The spiritual leader added that Europe was 'morally responsible' for helping refugees fleeing their countries

Rebecca Shepherd

Rebecca Shepherd

The Dalai Lama has told an audience that refugees should return home and help to develop their native countries because 'Europe belongs to Europeans'.

The Buddhist spiritual leader from Tibet, acknowledged that Europe had a responsibility to help them, but insisted they must also do their part, according to the Sun.

The 83-year-old, who fled Tibet in 1959 in fear of his life, spoke at a conference in Malmö, Sweden, saying: "Receive them, help them, educate them. But ultimately they should develop their own country.

"I think Europe belongs to the Europeans," he continued in a controversial address, adding that it should be made clear to refugees that 'they ultimately should rebuild their own country'.

PA

The Dalai Lama was in Switzerland to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Tibet Institute Rikon.

It's not the first time the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize winner has said something along these lines.

The MailOnline reported that when he was speaking to German reporters in 2016, he said: "Europe, for example Germany, cannot become an Arab country. Germany is Germany. There are so many that in practice it becomes difficult.

PA

"From a moral point of view, too, I think that the refugees should only be admitted temporarily."

He later clarified his compassion for those fleeing war but said that they should be helped in order to return to the native countries.

Back in 2016, during an interview with Piers Morgan on ITV's Good Morning Britain, the Dalai Lama spectacularly proved that he's into more than just peace-keeping as he impersonated Donald Trump.

ITV/Good Morning Britain

When asked what he thought of Trump, the Dalai Lama put his hand over his forehead and started to laugh.

"He has outrageous hair and a small mouth," he said, complete with hand gesture and some sort of fish impression that followed.

The Dalai Lama has a huge 18.7 million followers on Twitter right now, but when Piers interviewed him he had 12m (still just as impressive).

ITV/Good Morning Britain

When asked about how he feels about Kim Kardashian having around four times more, he said: "If she has more followers, good, no problem.

"Such famous people I think [have] no ability to compete my wisdom."

Well, he's confident, that much is for sure.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: World News, Sweden