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Tibetans in Japan offer Prayers to mark His Holiness' Birthday

Tuesday, 8 July 2008, 10:10 a.m.
Tokyo: Tibetans based in Japan organised prayer sessions to mark the 73rd birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Okura, a well-known hotel located at the center of Tokyo, on 6 July.


Kalon Kesang Y Takla addresses a function to mark the 73rd birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Tokyo, Japan, 6 July 2008/Tibet House
Kalon Kesang Yangkyi Takla, Kalon for the Department of Information and International Relations, Central Tibetan Administration based in Dharamsala, presided over as the chief guest.

Considering the situation in Tibet and the natural tragedies at Myanmar and Sichuan, the celebration was devoid of any festivities. However, the event witnessed a record attendance of nearly five hundred people, including some fifty Tibetans and foreign guests.

Lhakpa Tshoko, representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for Japan and East Asia, welcomed the guests and thanked them for their overwhelming support during the events following 10 March demonstrations in Tibet and during the recent Save Tibet Asia Pacific Forum held in Japan.

In her address, Kalon Takla dwelt on the situation in Tibet and outside Tibet, and need for the world community to stand for truth and justice. She said she was happy to note that so many Japanese are showing support and interest for the Tibetan cause.

Other speaker included Edano Yukio, President of Japanese Parliamentarians for Tibet, Makino Seishu, organizer of Save Tibet Network Forum and Dr Oashi Tsutomu, a noted Japanese brain scientist.

They expressed their sincere wish and long life prayers for the long and healthy life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. They said that His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a symbol of peace, truth and justice, and the Chinese leadership should learn to see His Holiness more as a friend than as a separatist.

A documentary show on the life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama beginning from his enthronement in Tibet was shown to the delight of everyone present.

Representative Lhakpa Tshoko thanked the supporters and the guests for their presence and continued support. There were some twenty Japanese volunteers to help arrange the celebration.

Kalon Takla met some important Tibet supporters on 7 July.

Earlier in the schedule, she presided over the Save Tibet Asia Pacific Forum organized by Save Tibet Network Japan, to urge the G-8 leaders to take up the issue of Tibet during their forthcoming summit in Hokkaido.

She will leave Japan for India on Tuesday.

--Based on report filed by Tibet House, Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, JAPAN (www.tibethouse.jp)

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