EDD creates awareness on Tibet’s environment in Tibetan schools in India[Saturday, 17 July 2010, 12:46 p.m.]

Students in Manali Sambhota Tibetan school attending the talk on Tibet’s environment on Friday, 16 July 2010.

Dharamshala: As an initiative to create awareness on Tibet’s environment to the Tibetan children in India the Environment and Development Desk (EDD) of the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) and the Department of Education (DoE) took the charge as a  part of the various events to observe and celebrate the 75th birth anniversary of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.Ms Chokyi and Mr Jigme Norbu staff of EDD started the event from Sambhota schools in Bhuntar and Manali on 15 and 16 July respectively.

Ms Chokyi of EDD giving her talk on ‘Climate change in Tibet’ in Bhuntar Sambhota Tibetan school, Thursday, 15 July 2010.

Ms Chokyi has touched upon climate change in Tibet, the most significant issue along with its impacts on water run off whereas Mr Jigme Norbu spoke on the mineral reserves in Tibetan Plateau and the current rate of resource exploitations. Mr Tenzin Norbu, Executive head of EDD told Tibet.Net, “ The students were very keen to know about the crucial subject of Tibet’s delicate environment. The students from both Bhuntar and Manali Sambhota Tibetan schools were active during the talk.” Documentary films ‘Sustained Development, China’s Design for Tibet‘ by DIIR and ‘Meltdown in Tibet’ by Michael Buckley were shown to the students. Besides a photo exhibition on Tibet’s environment was also displayed. General environmental education were also imparted to the children at both the schools. DIIR publications on Tibet’s environment and development were distributed to the audience to further enrich their knowledge.

Students of Bhuntar Sambhota Tibetan school attending the environment talk on Friday, 16 July 2010.

Next destination of the EDD staff is to visit Tibetan Schools in Ladakh to create awareness about Tibet’s unique environment. EDD staff will cover nine Tibetan schools in Southern India by the end of August. According to EDD, they have plans to cover whole of the Tibetan schools in India.  –Based on report submitted by Jigme Norbu & Chokyi from the field.