The Dalai Lama has announced that he intends to reincarnate, paving the way for a successor to take on a mantle stretching back 500 years after his death.

Since the 1970s, the Dalai Lama has maintained that he no longer seeks full independence for Tibet, but "meaningful" autonomy that would allow Tibetans to preserve their distinct culture, religion and identity. His commitment to the nonviolent "middle way" approach has earned him international support and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.