Himalayan Kitchen in Parkdale handed out roughly 150 free lunches on Tuesday in honour of the Dalai Lama's birthday and Tibetan Heritage Month, which is now officially recognized by the provincial government thanks to the newly-enacted Bill 131.

The restaurant, located at 1526 Queen St. West, gave out free momos and a drink to anyone who visited between the hours of 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. on July 6, and MPP for Parkdale—High Park Bhutila Karpoche, who introduced Bill 131, was one of many who showed up.

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"Thank you to these amazing brothers who run Himalayan Kitchen in Parkdale," she wrote on Facebook and Instagram. "To celebrate Tibetan Heritage Month and HHDL's birthday, they provided free lunch to about 150 people today!"

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Karpoche introduced Bill 131 last year in an effort to get the province to officially proclaim the month of July as Tibetan Heritage Month, which is significant to the Tibetan community because of the birthday of the Dalai Lama, who is an honorary Canadian citizen.

Tibetans around the world and across Canada celebrate this day, which Karpoche says "symbolizes the unity of Tibetan-Canadians and their resilience as a people."

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"Thanks to the support of the Canadian people and the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, today the Tibetan population in Canada has grown and flourished to become a remarkable addition to Canada's diverse cultural mosaic," reads the bill's preamble.

"The Tibetan community has contributed to the growth of Canada in economic, social and political fields and, most importantly, has brought the rich and ancient cultural practices of non-violence and compassion to Canada."

Bill 131 received Royal Assent on September 24, 2020, meaning this is the first time July is officially considered to be Tibetan Heritage Month in Ontario.

"By proclaiming the month of July as Tibetan Heritage Month, the province of Ontario recognizes the contributions of Tibetans in all aspects of Ontario society," continues the bill.

"Tibetan Heritage Month is also an opportunity to educate future generations about the significant roles that Tibetan-Canadians have played and continue to play across Ontario."