Dalai Lama: Seven billion people 'need a sense of oneness'

The leader of Tibetan Buddhism sees reasons for optimism even in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. People are helping one another, he tells the BBC's Justin Rowlatt, and if seven billion people on Earth develop "a sense of oneness" they may yet unite to solve the problem of climate change.

The first time I met the Dalai Lama he tweaked my cheek. It is pretty unusual to have your cheek tweaked by anyone, let alone by a man regarded as a living god by many of his followers.  But the Dalai Lama is a playful man who likes to tease his interviewers.

Now, of course, such a gesture would be unthinkable - our latest encounter comes via the sterile interface of a video conferencing app. The Dalai Lama appears promptly and sits in front of the camera, smiling and adjusting his burgundy robes.

"Half-five," he says with a grin. His eyes sparkle: "Too early!"

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