DHARAMSHALA: The offices of Tibet in different parts of the world marked the successful completion of its first year in office by the 14th Kashag led by Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay. They also organised peace rallies and prayer services on that day to express solidarity with Tibetans suffering China’s repressive rule in Tibet. 

Prayer Service in Taiwan

On the occasion the Office of Tibet in Taipei, organised a prayer service to express solidarity with the Tibetans inside Tibet who have sacrificed their precious lives for the cause of Tibet.

Tibetans in traditional dress and Tibet supporters participated in the prayer service presided over by Tsoe Serthi Rinpoche.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Representative Dawa Tsering read out Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay’s message on the occasion.

He also read out a brief biography of Dolkar Tso, who died after setting herself on fire in Tsoe, Amdo, in north-eastern Tibet, protesting against the Chinese government on 7 August.

Solidarity Rally in France, Belgium and Spain

Mr Ngdoup Dorjee, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, addressing the solidarity rally.

Hundreds of Tibetans and friends of Tibet joined solidarity rally in Belgium, Netherlands and Spain.

On the day which coincided with the auspicious Lhakar, Tibetans living in Belgium and Belgian friends of Tibet held a peace march followed by a mass prayer in the second largest Belgian city of Antwerpen.

The solidarity rally was jointly organised by the Belgium Tibetan community, Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, Chushi Gangdruk Association, Tibetan Cultural Center and Chinese-Tibetan Friendship Association.

The rally began at 5 O’clock in the evening from Koninklijk Royal Museum of Fine Arts and culminated at Groenplaats where a mass prayer was held till 8 O’clock in the evening.  Before commencement of the mass prayer, Mr Ngodup Dorjee, the Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, spoke to the gathering about the reasons behind observing the solidarity rally and urged the Tibetans and the friends of Tibet to relentlessly engage the international community as the representative voice of the Tibetans suffering under Chinese repression.

Mr Thupten Phegyal, the president of Belgian Tibetan community and the president of Regional Tibetan Youth congress, also spoke on the occasion.  A minute’s silence was observed in memory of fellow Tibetans who have sacrificed their precious lives through self immolations.  A group of Tibetan children from Tibetan Cultural Center, Brussels presented a patriotic song in memory of the fellow Tibetans who laid down their life for Tibet’s freedom and many more who continue to suffer untold misery under the Chinese rule.

Literatures on the continuing spate of self-immolations inside Tibet and ever increasing repressive policies and actions being carried out by the Chinese authorities were distributed during the rally.

Similarly, the Tibetan community in Amsterdam and Barcelona respectively observed the day by organising peace rally and mass prayers in collaboration with local Tibet Support Groups. The Tibetans and friends of Tibet living in the respective cities had joined the peace rally and the prayer session in large numbers.

Mr Ngodup Dorjee, representative of His Holiness leading the rally in Antwerpan, Belgium.