Musical Stars to Perform at Concert For Tibetan Culture in New York[Wednesday, 24 February 2010, 12:44 p.m.]

Illustration by Tibet House US

Dharamshala: Tibet House US will once again bring together an amazing, original line-up of contemporary artists during its 20th Annual Benefit Concert to promote Tibetan culture at Carnegie Hall on Friday, 26 February.There will be sterling performances by stars such as Bajah + the Dry Eye Crew, Gogol Bordello, Philip Glass, Tenzin Kunsel, Iggy Pop, Patti Smith, Regina Spektor & Pierce Turner.Tibet House US Vice President Philip Glass acts as the artistic director of the annual show and is instrumental in putting together the line-up. All money raised through ticket sales go to benefit Tibet House’s projects in the US.”In order to preserve Tibetan culture, one of our key aims is to introduce it to people,” Tibet House US president Dr Robert Thurman told The Huffington Post.“Because when people see it, and see their art, and see the people,and see the way they behave, and then the history, then they kind of fall in love with Tibet and then they really want to see it preserved. It’s interesting — the Tibetans are like the Na’vi, you know, like Avatar? God, the Tibetans are like that. The essential tenet of their culture is interconnectedness and interdependence and cooperativeness and non-violence.”Thurman also encourages interested parties to become members of Tibet House US and show their support through making a contribution or volunteering.Tibet House US is dedicated to preserving Tibet’s unique culture at a time when it is confronted with extinction on its own soil. By presenting Tibetan civilisation and its profound wisdom, beauty, and special art of freedom to the people of the world, we hope to inspire others to join the effort to protect and save it. It is part of a worldwide network of Tibetan institutions committed to ensuring that the light of the Tibetan spirit never disappears from the face of this earth, Dr. Thurman said.Tibet House US was founded at the request of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who at the inauguration in 1987 stated his wish for a long-term cultural institution to ensure the survival of Tibetan civilization and culture, whatever the political destiny of the six million people of Tibet itself.“I feel that Tibetan culture with its unique heritage –born of the efforts of many human beings of good spirit, of its contacts with Mongolian, Chinese, Indian, Nepalese and Persian culture, and of its natural environment – has developed a kind of energy which is very helpful for cultivating peace of mind and a joyful life.”I feel that there is a potential for Tibet to help humanity, and particularly our Eastern neighbour, where millions of young Chinese have lost their spiritual values. In this way, I feel very strongly that Tibetan culture will have a role to play in the future of humanity,” His Holiness said.In 1991, Tibet House initiated The International Year of Tibet as a worldwide celebration of Tibetan culture, in close cooperation with the Department of Religion and Culture of the Central Tibetan Administration in Dharamsala, India. This soon became a cascading international movement celebrated in over 36 countries with more than 7,000 different events and activities.