Hundreds of Tibetans, tourists and local residents gathered in the courtyard of Tsugla-Khang, the main temple in Dharamashala, to celebrate the 26th anniversary of the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on December 10.
The chief guest Smt Sarveen Choudhary, the former Minister of Himachal and current Member of Legislative Assembly
Photo:Contact/Lha
The chief guest Smt Sarveen Choudhary in her address lauded His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s message of peace and harmony to the world by referring to His Holiness as the “messenger of peace.” She added that the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to His Holiness in 1989 was a proud and happy moment for both Tibet and India. Speaking about the environmental degradation in Tibet and need to safeguard the fragile land, she said “Tibet is a major source of freshwater in Asia. However, Tibet is still under China. The Chinese government is building dams and also trying to divert water sources which will affect whole of Asia. China is using all the minerals and resources in Tibet.”
Sikyong Lobsang Sangay on behalf of his office expressed gratitude and homage to His Holiness on the special day. Sangay said that His Holiness was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize because he advocates nonviolence and dialogue to resolve the issue of Tibet, interfaith harmony, human values and respect for the environment. The day is also observed as International Human Rights day: Sangay said “Tibetans inside Tibet have nothing to celebrate as the human rights situation inside Tibet is continuously deteriorating. The Tibetan people continue to suffer political repression, economic marginalisation, social discrimination, cultural assimilation and environmental destruction under China’s authoritarian rule.” Regarding China’s claim over selecting the next Dalai Lama, he confirmed that this decision rests solely with the present Dalai Lama.
Sikyong Lobsang Sangay addressing the gathering on December 10
Photo:Contact/Lha
Speaker of Tibetan Parliament-in-exile Penpa Tsering said that the most effective support from the international community for the Tibetan cause is for them to support the Middle Way Approach, the official policy of Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and also the wish of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He added, “we should bear in mind at all times the gratitude we owe to His Holiness for his kindness and show of concern for the greater good of the collective merits of the Tibetan public in general on the basis of the approach of ‘no mistakes, no regret’. The time to do that is now and we take this opportunity to reiterate our appeal accordingly”.
DIIR launched the book, The Panchen Lama Lineage: How Reincarnation is Being Reinvented as a Political Tool
Photo:Contact/Lha
The CTA’s department of Information and International Relations launched the book, The Panchen Lama Lineage: How Reincarnation is Being Reinvented as a Political Tool to coincide with Human Rights Day. The book documents events surrounding the disappearance of the 11th Panchen Lama and the resulting statements made by governments, coverage by the world media and analysis by prominent China watchers and human right defenders.
Smt Sarveen Choudhary, former Minister of Himachal and current Member of Legislative Assembly, and Dr Lobsang Sangay, Prime Minister of the Tibetan Government-in-exile, presided over the official function. Also at the gathering were Speaker of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile Penpa Tsering, Chief Justice Commissioner Mr Kargyu Dhondup, Shree Ram Swaroop, advisor and former President of the Indo-Tibet Friendship Society, Dharamshasla and other senior officials of the exile Tibetan government.
The speeches were followed by cultural performances by both Indian and Tibetan artists from various institutes and schools.
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