Dalai Lama Glastonbury - The Glastonbury Festival in Britain is one of Europe's largest music festivals, and this Sunday's celebration of the festival may have just become one of the most memorable as the Dalai Lama graced the festival's stage. The appearance has quickly become one of the most talked-about in the history of the festival even if the Dalai Lama isn't a singer or rocker, reported Gulf News.

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Since the Dalai Lama Glastonbury appearance took place ahead of his 80th birthday, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader was surprised to hear the audience singing him a "Happy Birthday." On Sunday, he was joined by Patti Smith on stage, who led the crowd with the song, after which she presented him with a birthday cake.

Apart from thanking the crowd following the song, the Nobel Peace laureate also lamented on aging and gave a speech of sorts about his "not being physically active enough at his age."

At the Dalai Lama Glastonbury appearance, the spiritual leader, who made his first appearance at the festival, pointed to Smith's white hair and said, "Those of you, singers and musicians, most of you, white hair. When I look at the hair, quite white, but their voice and physical action look very youthful, very forceful."

"That gives me encouragement. Myself now, 80 years old, but I should be like you, more active," he continued.

Taking place at the southwest of England, the Dalai Lama Glastonbury appearance was just part of the soon to be 80-year-old's global tour marking his birthday.

Before he flew to Britain for the festival appearance, he first had a tour in Australia. Next Monday, he is set on celebrating his birthday in California, then he will travel to New York then back to Dharamsala in India where Tibet's exiled go to.

The festival had been condemned by China after it announced last week that it was going to host the Dalai Lama, according to independent.ie

"China resolutely opposes any country, organization, body or individual giving any kind of platform to the 14th Dalai Lama to engage in anti-China splittist activities," said Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lu Kang during a daily briefing Friday.

"They consider me as a demon so they have to oppose the demon's activities, although I'm not seeking independence or separation," the Dalai Lama said in an interview referring to his Glastonbury appearance.

He added that he is officially not allowed to attend any concerts at Glastonbury as a monk, but that "nobody can stop" him from listening.

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