In April, a new book by the 14th Dalai Lama was published called “Voice For The Voiceless: Over Seven decades of struggle with China for my land and my people”.

The Dalai Lama reveals that his reincarnated successor could be born in what he calls “the free world”.

It would break with centuries of tradition – and raise the stakes in the dispute with China over control of the Himalayan region that the Dalai Lama fled in 1959.

It also raises the intriguing prospect of the next Dalai Lama being found in Australia.

Dr Zoe Bedford is the Executive officer from The Australia Tibet Council.