The announcement comes after speculation around whether the Dalai Lama might be the last person to hold his role—one that remains a symbol of Tibetan identity.

The statement puts to rest speculation that the Dalai Lama may be the last of Tibet's spiritual leaders, ending a line that stretches back centuries.

The Dalai Lama says he'll have a successor, after all, ending years of speculation that he might be the last person to hold the role and meaning he'd be reincarnated.