Thank you Switzerland, said His Holiness the Dalai Lama[Friday, 9 April 2010, 10:47 a.m.]

His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Zurich, on 8 April attending Merci Schwiiz – Thank You Switzerland programme.

Zurich – 8 April:
His Holiness the Dalai Lama thanked the Swiss Government, Red Cross and
the people, local governments, organisations and individual for their
generous assistance to Tibetans for the last five decades. “It is our
Tibetan culture and tradition to thank those who help us. Therefore, I
would like to express our gratitude to you”, said His Holiness the
Dalai Lama.

From left: Dr. Katrin Hagen (daughter of late Dr. Toni Hagen), Mrs. Sigrid Joss-Arnd, His Holiness and Dr. Arthur Bill

Looking
back last 51 years, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said there have been
both sad and happy moments, sometimes no hope, sometimes some hope and
at times with more confidence. He said that during difficult times,
there is the good nature of human beings to show solidarity and help.
He acknowledged the work of Dr. Toni Hagen, the initiator of the
Tibetan settlement project.Dr. Katrin Hagen, the daughter of
late Dr. Hagen spoke about her father’s work with the Tibetan refugee
project. The former director of Pestalozzi’s Children Village in
Trogen, Mr. Arthur Bill emotionally spoke about his first contacts with
His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the education of young boys and girls
at Trogen.Mrs. Sigrid Joss-Arnd, a former staff of the Red
Cross who was involved with the resettlement of the Tibetans since the
early 1960 said, “I was extremely relieved to hear that His Holiness
the Dalai Lama had safely crossed into India in 1959.”In
October 1960, 20 Tibetans boys and girls arrived for education at the
Pestalozzi’s Children Village in Trogen, Switzerland. The Swiss
Government on 29 March 1963 approved the re-settlement of 1,000
Tibetans. Tibetans were the first non-European refugees in Switzerland.
Today there are about 4,000 Tibetans living in Switzerland.Merci
Schwiiz – Thank You Switzerland programme was organised by the Swiss
Tibetan Friendship Association and the Tibetan Community.In the
morning, His Holiness the Dalai Lama visited the Tibet Institute in
Rikon. His Holiness asked the motorcade to stop at the beginning of the
long line of Tibetans waiting for his arrival in run up to the Tibetan
Monastery. He walked slowly past the Tibetans, occasionally calling
names of people he recognized in the crowd.His Holiness the
Dalai Lama said that he was very happy and impressed with the work of
the Tibetan monastery especially its activities in Switzerland and
within some Tibetan monasteries in India.“You have done a
wonderful job,” said His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He thanked the
gathered audience for their support. “Without your help, this is not
possible,” he said.Mrs. Pascale Bruderer Wyss, President of the
Swiss Parliament attended the ceremony at the monastery.  She called on
His Holiness the Dalai Lama after the ceremony. She is a member of the
Tibet Group in the Swiss Parliament and last met His Holiness the Dalai
Lama in 2005.At the end of the ceremony at the monastery, His
Holiness walked towards a large Tibetan audience and took a group photo
together. It was an extremely emotional moment for Tibetans to see
their beloved leader taking so much time to meet and talk to fellow
Tibetans despite the extremely busy schedule.His Holiness the
Dalai Lama’s last engagement of the day was meeting with the members of
the Tibet Group in the Swiss Parliament.–Report filed by The Tibet Bureau, Geneva