Deputy Speaker to attend conference on ‘Democracy and Tibet’ in ItalyWednesday, 15 April 2009, 3:39 p.m.

Deputy Speaker Dolma Gyari at a meeting organised by the Tibetan Women’s Association in Dharamshala, India, on 10 April 2009/Photo:Sangey Kyap

Dharamshala: At the invitation of the regional assembly of Piemonte in Italy, Association of Borough Councils, Provinces, Regions for Tibet, the deputy of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, Mrs Dolma Gyari, will participate in a three-day biennial conference on democracy in capital Turin, beginning 22 April.The deputy speaker will leave New Delhi for Turin via Munich on 21 April.The conference known as “Democracy Biennial”, would feature a series of lectures, conferences, debates and seminars, which aim to deepen and promote democratic culture. Considering the importance of the event, the organisers have sent over 100,000 printed invitations.Given the impact of this event, the Association of Borough Councils, Provinces and Regions for Tibet decided to hold a public meeting on “Democracy and human rights: the case of Tibet” as part of the conference on 24 April. “Our aim to discuss the themes of democracy and respect for human rights in the world by analysing the situation in Tibet, a country which remains a model of non-violent approach aimed at securing recognition of its own national identity,” the organisers said.“For this reason, we feel that it is important that a person in authority and with responsibility should represent the official position of the Central Tibetan Administration and of His Holiness the Dalai Lama,” they said. They expressed their hope that the presence of the deputy speaker of the Tibetan Parliament in exile would create an opportunity to organise other public meetings, where awareness of the Tibetan situation could be promoted.During the visit, the deputy speaker will attend the opening ceremony of the conference in Regio theatre, which will be presided over by Italy’s president, Mr Giorgio Napolitano, on 22 April.Later in the evening, Mrs Gyari will speak on “Tibet: A People in Exile” in Cirie near Turin.On 24 April, Mrs Gyari will deliver her key-note address on “Democracy and human rights: the case of Tibet”. Mrs Gyari will attend a press conference in Salemi near Palermo, on 25 April.Mrs Gyari will also visit capital Rome from 27 – 28 April, at the invitation of Inter Parliamentary Group on Tibet, Italy and Nonviolent Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty.  She will meet Italian parliamentarians and other officials.