DHARAMSHALA: The China-Tibet Initiative at Emory University has won the 2014 New Student Organisation of the Year Award at Emory’s annual Leadership, Service, and Diversity Awards. The award was presented by the University’s Office of Student Leadership and Service.

“It was especially rewarding to receive this recognition from the University not only because it applauds the hard work that so many student leaders have put into this initiative, but also because of all that the China-Tibet Initiative represents,” the group wrote on its Facebook page after winning the award.

The China-Tibet Initiative is a student organisation which grew organically from a friendship formed between Bart Qian and Tibetan monk Ngawang Norbu, one of Emory University’s six Tenzin Gyatso science scholars.

“The Chinese and Tibetan students here at Emory have truly taken the high road by building bridges through friendship and understanding. This kind of initiative moves us in the direction of, as His Holiness the Dalai Lama has mentioned, making the 21st century, a century of dialogue, peace, and understanding,” the group said adding, while often such sensitive issues can result in each side becoming more and more entrenched in their own views, the China-Tibet Initiative brings a new and refreshing perspective to international conflict.

We hope that Emory’s China-Tibet Initiative will be an inspiration for other Chinese and Tibetan students on campuses worldwide to reach out to one another in a similar effort of friendship, the group said.

His Holiness Dalai Lama, during his visit to Emory University in October 2010, has met the members of the China-Tibet Initiative. He has appreciated the student group’s reconciliatory approach then, by saying: “Whenever we have the opportunity to improve things we should take it. On the other hand, no matter how difficult it may be, we should always to deal with problems we face in a non-violent way.”